I was just so outraged when I read this story in our local paper recently, that I HAD to vent! I have been a HUGE animal lover since I was a small child, and my heart just sank, when I read the headline "Owner May Be Charged, but he can still keep dog" beneath a picture of an adorable, six month old German Shephered/Rottweiler mix, with severed ears!

His "owner" must have been bored, because he decided to cut the dogs ears off with what authorities believe was either a kitchen knife or hand saw! Isn't that just awful? The Humane Society received an anonymous tip from a concerned neighbor! Can you imagine how much pain and suffering this poor, defenceless animal must have endured? And the worst part? Even though he is facing criminal animal cruelty charges, under the law he can RECLAIM the dog, as long as he agrees to cover the cost of his medical bills, and other fees! OUTRAGEOUS!

And even IF he is convicted, he simply faces a small monetary fine and a ban on owning a pet(as if there is a way to enforce such a "ban"). Several people have written letters to the editor, and to their M.P. demanding that the law be changed. Currently an animal is considered a piece of "property" under the law, just as a car or stereo system! I was just wondering what everyone out here on WAP thought an appropriate punishment should be? I think this is obviously a sick and disturbed individual, who is in serious need of IMMEDIATE psychiatric help! I can not even fathom doing such a thing! At the moment, he is the communitys most HATED!

Honestly, if I were a judge, I don't think I would have shown this individual any sympathy at all! I would have been VERY hard on him, which is an unusual point of view for me to take. But I just can not bear to see an animal suffer like this, and for what? For this sick bastards pleasure? It made me feel ill!

Lisa

That's horrible...how can they let the dog go back to the owner???

It reminds me of a case over here. There was a man who had stolen domestic guinea pigs from all over the place and he killed them in the most severe ways (microwave, set them on fire). Judges here have the possibility to look at a person's mental status and force a person to get (psychiatric) treatment for however long it takes. So you'll get a prison sentence (certain amount of time) and the treatment (which can be neverending). That was part of the guinea pig sentence, get forced treatment...

Lisa, i understand your anger toward this man, but for me personally i would think it hypocritical of me to have no room for forgiveness when i write others that have done much worse to their fellow man.
What he has done is hard to understand, i do not know this story nor his reasons, but i know dog owners all across the world and sheep owners for that matter doc tails and have cropped ears because of the look etc. Be that with a sharp knife or ring.
Heck, people even cut the skin of new born male children without any pain relief for many varied reasons. I am not defending what this man has done at all, as like i said, i do not know the case, but for me to judge another isn't my place.
I certainly think the laws that govern this need to be changed if this man does retain ownership of his dog after he is found guilty of cruelty. You wouldn't let a parent keep a child so why should he keep an animal?
Maybe this is what is needed for the law to change? Like most new and old laws to change it needs someone angry enough who is compassionate with much drive and energy to take a stand and you fit the bill perfectly.

Smiley:

I understand what you are saying, but we all have our limitations. For example, there are people who write to inmates, who can not feel compassion for those who harm or kill children, no matter how hard they try. As I have said before, we all have our biases, prejudices and limitations. I just can't feel any empathy or compassion for this individual, and trust me, I have tried. What could this animal possibly have done to deserve to the target of such rage? It is our responisbility and our duty as a society, to protect those who are incapable of defending themselves. Even if I DID have sympathy for this man, that does not mean that he does not deserve to be punished.

There is evidence to suggest that people who harm or abuse animals, often go on to harm human beings. Most serial killers, including the "worst of the worst" like Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy derived pleasure from inflicting pain on animals, and used it to hone their "skills" which they later used on human beings. This is a problem that MUST be taken more seriously!

If I were a judge, I would ORDER him to seek immediate professional help, and would also have him monitored for a period of time. And he would NEVER for as long as he lived, be allowed to be responsible for the care of an animal. I would also order that regardless of his financial situation(I don't care if he had to go and collect cans or pick up trash on the side of the road!) that he would pay for the dog's medical care, as well, a portion of his wages would go to a local shelter or organization that cares for animals, for a certain period of time, and he would also be ordered to do community service. I would make sure he thought twice about hurting an animal again, and that potention would be animal abusers, thought three times! If I seem cold or heartless, then so be it! This man deserves whatever he has coming to him, and I hope that the judge will punish him to the furthest extent of the law!

Lisa

Lisa, i see and hear what you are saying and agree with you on some points, especially where you said .....

"There is evidence to suggest that people who harm or abuse animals, often go on to harm human beings. Most serial killers, including the "worst of the worst" like Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy derived pleasure from inflicting pain on animals, and used it to hone their "skills" which they later used on human beings. This is a problem that MUST be taken more seriously!"

I do have an understanding their, but i also have an understanding about redemption, growth and maturity. I have come to understand this over time through the eye's of another. What one will do today and think nothing of, have no remorse for, is not to say that over time this will not change. You said.....

"And he would NEVER for as long as he lived, be allowed to be responsible for the care of an animal."

I find that comment no better than the Judges that put many of our friends behind bars without the room for redemption and change. That give sentences of LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE at the young age of 13. Sorry but it makes no sense to me on ANY level.

I do not believe the owner should be allowed to have this pet back,,,nor access to any other animal,,,, I think anyone who can harm an animal should be tested pys,,,due to their is a connection to" if one can abuse an animal,,, very likely they can do harm,,, serious harm to a human....This testing could prevent further problems possibly in the future,,,,, to anything or anyone...if he has a tendency of some mental disorder,,,,

The things people do to animals,,, or set them up to be put to sleep,,,by creating or blaming is sickening.... recently again ,,,an animal could have been put down,,, due to a women's lies and abuse "this is sickening" savagely did damage to her baby boy's genitals,,,, and blamed the dog ,,,, so not only this to the poor child ,, add to it,,, the dog could have been exterminated,,,, but,,,it was proved it was not the dog that did this sick abuse,,,,it was the Mom........................
The child will have to live a life like this knowing his own Mom did this ,,, never able to have a normal life,,,,, and the pet was put,,, in the kennel til case is closed,,,,,

A Dad recently put his duaghter in the Microwave for a few mins,,, she survived but,, again,,, how can anyone do that to a child,,, that is sickening ,,,,Horror stories goes on and on,,, lots of sick B's out there,,,,,,,

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Hi so sad and sickening to read all this post on cruelty to animal I am not an animal lover sort......but it sickens me to see how people can be so cruel to them. Last year here in NZ a brother and sister had money argument.....apparently the brother came home and ask his sister for $ she refuse to give him any than went to bed. He than took her cat and put it in the microwave and turned it on high. When they found the cat they saw that its claws had grown inches that according to the expert was cause by the pain or agony it went through.

Another case just few months ago a man tie his dog at the back of car and drag it along the road this man serving 3 months in prison.

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windygirl

Bookie,
I am a animal lover and always have had a soft spot for anything cuddly or scaley. In the US we have a group called the ASPCA (?). This group has letigated successfully to be able to confinscate any animal THEY think is being treated inhumanely. They not a vet make that decision. Any animals that they "rescue" they sell to people for about $125.00 per animal. They concentrate their attentions on dog breeders that raise high dollar pure bred dogs. So, no I don't think that Canada needs that kind of law in your country. I'm with Smiley on this. Yes, if he did it out of malice, someone needs to return the favor but, what if these extra ears were causing the dog problems and discomfort. Yes, he should and could have took it to a vet. Did he give the dog some kind of pain killer? Were the ears dead skin? Evidently the guy cared enough about the dog to try and do something to help it have a better life, in his eyes anyway. When my dog peed in my boot, I tied it over his nose and made him wear it for three hours. Was that cruel ? yeah, but my co-pilot still loves me. I'm not making light of this situation. There is always two sides to every story. Yeah, it makes my gut ache to hear about it but, I would like to hear his side before I condemmed him to not having probably the only companionship he has. Peace.