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On Dec. 30, 2001, officers responded to a
call from a resident in Compton (a Los Angeles suburb) and found what
appeared to be a stray German shepherd tied to a stake in an alley in the
10400 block of Hickory Street. The dog had had its jaw blown off by
a powerful firecracker and had to be euthanized at a veterinary hospital.
Authorities alleged that DeLara had
placed an M-80 firecracker in the mouth of the dog and lit the fuse.
According to an article in the LA
Times, DeLara was sentenced to 4 years in a
California prison: two years for animal cruelty and a concurrent 4 years
for possessing firearms. Animal Cruelty has been a felony in
California since 1988 and carries a maximum jail term of three
years. According to U.S. law, the longest possible sentence is 10
years (Louisiana), and the shortest is 90 days (Ohio). For a list of
all 50 states and their animal cruelty laws, click
here.
| State |
Charge |
Maximum
Penalty |
Date
Enacted |
| California |
Felony |
3
years |
1988 |
| Louisiana |
Felony |
10
years |
1995 |
| Ohio |
Misdemeanor |
90
days |
- |
| more... |
... |
... |
... |
From List
of Animal Cruelty Laws,
compiled by The Scoop and Humane Society U.S.
II. Fights,
Fires...
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (USA) —
Next up, California courts turn their eyes
toward a recent case in which two boys, ages 12 and 13, set a "pit
bull" (Staffordshire Terrier) puppy on fire after it beat another
puppy in a dogfight they had staged. "Theodore" the
three-month-old pup survived with severe burns
over one-quarter of his body and was treated at the Veterinary Centers of
America Bay Area Animal Hospital in North Oakland. He is now recuperating at the Oakland Animal
Shelter.
The San
Francisco Chronicle reports that the boys admitted that they had
thrown flammable material on the stray dog on Jan. 8, according to police
Sergeant Arturo Bautista. One of the boys cares for the female puppy
that lost the fight, and the attack may have been the boys' revenge,
authorities said.
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The two boys will remain in custody at Alameda County Juvenile Hall in
San Leandro pending a sentencing hearing on Feb. 5. A third
accomplice, 15-year-old boy who admitted to a felony charge of dog
fighting, has been released but will wear an electronic monitoring
device. He will be sentenced on the 14th of Feb.
All three will undergo psychological evaluations and could face up to
three years in a juvenile detention facility, says Alameda County
Assistant District Attorney Walter Jackson.
III. ...and Friends
The 19-lb. terrier Theodore (named by veterinarians at the hospital) is
being given painkillers and antibiotics intravenously and a soothing aloe
vera lotion on his skin. Last week he could be found, groggy from
the morphine, securely wrapped in a Minnie Mouse towel. The puppy
will be available
for adoption (click
here) after the boys have been sentenced in two
weeks.
Glenn Howell, Oakland animal control director comments, "It's very
cruel. People need to be aware that pit bulls as a breed are just
totally misused."
UPDATE Feb. 5, 2002:
Honorary Scoop correspondent
Kathy Ryan is leading a petition to the Mayor's office calling for
decisive action against dog-fighting in Oakland. To offer your help,
support or advice, please contact her directly at: KathyRyan@thedognet.net
UPDATE Mar. 8, 2002:
"Burned Puppy Makes Full
Recovery; Mayor Pledges to Crack Down on Dog Fighting"
Related link:
Convicted
Animal Abuser Database
§§§
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