Animal cruelty cases

As I was on the way home, I read two stories from the NY Post.

One was a man who in a fit of rage, smashed his stepson's fish tank into the wall and then decided to stomp on the boy's goldfish killing it instantly. The appeals court just upheld the judge's sentencing of 2 years in prison for felony animal abuse. His attorney's argument was that fish are a lesser pet than companion animals because "if you set it loose in a pond, it would swim away and never think twice".

The second was a man who is being brought up on animal cruelty charges for locking his 4 year old dog in a closet without food and water and leaving to go on vacation to Disney with his daughter. The dog died from dehydration/starvation. He was arrested as soon as he got home from his vacation.

While these stories disgust me, it is good to see that animal cruelty is finally being taken seriously. I don't believe the penalties are quite harsh enough. Animal abusers are the worst kind of offenders in my opinion.

I greatly despise people who would do thathttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/images/icons/icon8.gif. One of the shows i love to watch are the animal cops shows. they are interesting and sad at the same time.

With you all the way, Jamie.

I know someone in Georgia who recently told me about a friend's dad shooting his daughter's cats for sport... and noone is doing anything about it because there's no ASPCA or anything out there and the animals are just considered property like a stick of furniture instead of living things... it's appalling. For the animals *and* the traumatized kids who's pets they are...

It's one of those things I cannot and would not even want to ever understand. I just can't comprehend deliberately torturing another living thing like that for fun... it turns my stomach.

my friends brother used to slam dunk chickens through the basketball hoop
:( and he put the rabbit in the dryer.

some people are just idiots..


I do wonder at the law where we would put a man in jail for 2 years for murdering a gold fish.... it was a quick and painless death Im guessing.... quicker and more painless than when we catch a fish, and then cook it for dinner

dunno, I just think there should be a line drawn.... I wouldnt consider swatting a fly in your house animal cruelty.... or shooting a deer for food.... or giving a live rat to a snake to eat ...

hrm

I have to agree about the fish....it sounds cruel, but how much can you torture an animal with a 3 second memory? And just like everything else involved with law, it comes down to the individual situations...the law is flexible for a reason, so the people can mold it to reflect the opinions and values of the time (IDEALLY). I DO think that there needs to be stricter punishments for abusing animals that have been domesticated for who knows how long (like dogs, obviously) just because I feel they've earned it; it's just downright disrespectful to treat an animal that only lives to please you, and has been for thousands of years, like a piece of property. And if these stricter punishments extend to other, less "domesticated" animals, so much the better. Anyway, sorry for the long post, like everyone here I have strong feelings on the subject =P

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Originally Posted by The Cannibal Monkey

I have to agree about the fish....it sounds cruel, but how much can you torture an animal with a 3 second memory? And just like everything else involved with law, it comes down to the individual situations...the law is flexible for a reason, so the people can mold it to reflect the opinions and values of the time (IDEALLY). I DO think that there needs to be stricter punishments for abusing animals that have been domesticated for who knows how long (like dogs, obviously) just because I feel they've earned it; it's just downright disrespectful to treat an animal that only lives to please you, and has been for thousands of years, like a piece of property. And if these stricter punishments extend to other, less "domesticated" animals, so much the better. Anyway, sorry for the long post, like everyone here I have strong feelings on the subject =P

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Have you watched mythbusters? They have a longer memory than that!

I think the fish thing was more than animal cruelty, that was psychological child abuse as well. Smashing the aquarium then stomping a child's pet fish to death right in front of him? 2 years doesn't sound unreasonable to me.

If it's not food, an accident, or self defense (gnat/mite/ant/tick killings count as defending my home from intruders in my book) then it's just not okay.

Here, here! Mental and emotional abuses are even harder to prove, unless the victim goes postal.


We're supposed to be stewards and CARE for the animals, not destroy them. It's really sad that ppl are sick that way. :tears:

Sheree's point is well made. The goldfish in that case was killed not so much for the sake of killing a fish but obviously in a fit of rage directed at abusing not only the fish but the child who owned it. Animal cruelty is a red flag for a number of psychological issues/criminal activities that are far more serious (not that animal abuse is not serious in and of itself). It is not something society should take lightly.

Yes, Mythbusters busted the idea that they have a 3 second memory.. that said.
There is no justication for stomping to death any animal just because you are mad. No even a humble goldfish. If it had been a kitten everyone would be up in arms, even if the kitten died instantly.
As for the shooting of the cats, if there is no local authority, call the feds. There is provisions for areas like that. Look in the federal section of your phone book and see what looks appropiate, even if you can't get any help, at least you will have done ALL that you could, and you yourself will feel better that you tried everything. Sometimes things happen around us that we cannot help, but we try, if nothing else we sorrow at the needless cruelty, as you obviously do.
How many people would think nothing of crushing a snake under their foot? And if it happens to be your pet, how would you suffer as a result? Terribly, I am sure all of us would agree. That child most likely will NEVER forget that moment of horror, and the sentance is all too leniant, viewed in that light. He should have also been charged with emotional abuse of his child.
I have fish, that have personalites, yeah, they are not too bright.. but I don't abuse them just because they are not smart.
I love my critters, like all of us here. And I am glad to see that we all try our best to help protect them.
Wolfy(sorry for long post)

I only know the girl who knows the people involved in the cat shooting online, but I'll tell her about the Feds thing! She says she's tried in the past to talk to the police about that sort of thing and the reaction is always "Whatcha gonna do, that's just how it is." Just sad...

Any animal can be a pet. A pet is defined as:

1. An animal kept for amusement or companionship.
2. An object of the affections.

I think dogs, cats, goldfish and snails can fall under that definition. The bottom line is animal cruelty is animal cruelty. Animal abusers are among the sickest deviants in society. In my mind they should be prosecuted just as child molesters, murders and rapists are.

i thought myth-busters decided that a gold fish has some sort of long term memory because adams (i think it was adam) fish kept going to the red ring for food everyday when it would be introduced into the tank. either way, it is still cruelty if not to the fish, to the boy.

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Originally Posted by mr~python

i thought myth-busters decided that a gold fish has some sort of long term memory because adams (i think it was adam) fish kept going to the red ring for food everyday when it would be introduced into the tank. either way, it is still cruelty if not to the fish, to the boy.

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They did. That was a good episode! Regardless, you are right, cruelty is cruelty.

IT was Jamie's fish that associated the red rings, and they actually went through a maze to get to it, quite accompished goldfish. Adam's actually died except 2 that never learned a darn thing.
(Have I mentioned I know them?)
Wolfy

right, i always get there names mixed up. i live near them, about 45 min. where do you know them from?

I can understand where you guys are coming from with the goldfish, hopefully I didn't upset anyone too much with my comment. In the end I guess it is always better to err on the side of caring more =)

Geeze Wolfy I'd be worried with friends like those two LOL. Kind of "hey Wolfy come over for dinner...hey mind just standing here for a sec...no really no worries about why my brother is wiring things up nearby...really...no sweat...excuse me while I dive behind this concrete wall!" :P

Actually they are so much mroe careful than you would think, especially after 3 seasons of finding out weird stuff does explode unexpectedly. LOL. Funny, thing neither has any brothers, which is why I suspect they turned out how they have.
Cannibal Monkey, I totally understand. A lot of folks won't think much of something they have never been attached to, and society today tends to push the ideas like.. It's just a *fill in with fish, snake, rat, etc* to justify the ways that animals are treated. I treat my feeder rats better than some of my clinets treat their supposedly precious dog pets. I've had a ton of people inform me that "Snakes don't matter, they are reptiles, so they don't even feel pain or anything." I inform them differently and usually let them meet Bill. Most people who will consent to meeting one of the ball pythons, esp Bill, will at least come away thinking that snakes are not so bad after all, and most leave with the idea firmly implanted that they are pets.
Even just telling people that you have multiple snakes(in my case I own 48 ball pythons) makes them think, #1 Wow, that person is WEIRD! but also #2 Snakes can't be THAT bad if she has a bunch, and gee they haven't done anything bad to her.
Rambling on again.. sorry.
Wolfy