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SANTA ANA, Calif.; MEMPHIS, Tenn. (USA) —
In
the 1st century B.C., a Roman soldier was convicted
of killing a cat in Egypt, and, in accordance with Egyptian law
which deified cats (and Basenji dogs), the soldier was executed for
his crime.1
Although we haven't seen that sort of justice in over 2000 years,
a few notable cases last week might be enough to cause Cleopatra to
sit up in her grave and take notice.
 In
ancient Egypt thousands of years ago, the only thing allowed to lay a hand on this pooch
was the cat. (Picture: Egyptian
Hieroglyphics: How to Read and Write Them)
1. California Man Faces
Life
in Prison for Killing Dog
SANTA ANA, Calif. (USA) — California courts may again break new ground in defending our
four-footed friends. One year ago yesterday, a San Jose judge
sentenced a road-rage
dog-killer to the maximum penalty: 3 years in prison. Last
Tuesday, July 9, a man accused of mutilating his dog appeared in
Orange County Superior Court where he could face life in prison.
The
Sacramento Bee reports that James Abernathy, 40, of La Habra,
has already been convicted of aggravated assault two times, and this
week's felony
animal cruelty charge could get him locked up for 25 years to
life under the state's three-strikes law. Even so, he would be
getting off easy, compared to what he did to "Marie" his
German Shepherd.
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2.
Tennessee Judge Slam-Dunks
Puppy Mill Owners
MEMPHIS,
Tenn. (USA) — Last week, The
Commercial Appeal reported on a recent Tennessee Court ruling that
was "worthy of a standing ovation." Animal
cruelty doesn't always require baseball bats and knives. If you've
ever heard the phrase "puppy
mill", you know what I'm talking about. Last week,
an animal cruelty conviction was upheld by Judge Alan
Glenn, rebuking the
appeal of a couple from Humboldt who had bred and kept as many as 350 dogs
sick and starving in filthy kennels. Not
only did Judge Glenn deal very sternly with the offenders, he delivered an
excellent oratory that ought to be framed above the door of every court
that handles animal abuse cases. He
said: "The Court finds that Judy Fay Johnson and Stanley Paul Johnson
have been found guilty of 11 counts of cruelty to animals. Bonds are set
at $1,000 in each of the 11 counts, which was done by a jury of good and
lawful citizens of Gibson County. "Over 350 puppies and dogs were victims of this gross violation of
the law. The victims of this crime were animals that could not speak up to
the unbelievable conduct of Judy Fay Johnson and Stanley Paul Johnson that
they suffered. Several of the dogs have died and most had physical
problems such as intestinal worms, mange, eye problems, dental problems
and emotional problems and socialization problems.
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argument
with his girlfriend," said La Habra Police Capt. John Rees.
The defendant's father, George Abernathy, told reporters that his
son was trying to impress his new girlfriend by killing the dog:
"He loved this dog, and he was trying to prove to this
girlfriend he just met that he loved her so much he could kill his
dog for her.
"If putting him in prison for 25 years to life is going to
prevent him from hurting some innocent person, that's OK with me."
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Nobel Prize-winning author Isaac
Bashevis Singer (1904-1991) once told interviewer Dick
Cavett that he would not kill even a mosquito. CAVETT:
“Are you saying that you think the
life of a mosquito has the same worth as the life of a man?”
SINGER:
“I have seen no evidence to the
contrary.”
Source:
Roni Adamson. The Ottawa Citizen,
"Planet Of The Heartless, Arrogant Humans" (27 Jul
2001) |
Recent Progress in
Animal Abuse Law
 INDIANAPOLIS,
Ind. (USA) — As of July 1st, it is a Class D
felony to torture or mutilate an animal. Convictions will
carry a sentence of jail time and a fine up to $10,000. Another law
gives tougher penalties to people involved with animal fighting contests:
up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Lawmakers said they hope
this puts and end to these "senseless crimes."
Source: WTVW
Fox Channel 7, Evansville, IN.
27 June 2002.
 SINGAPORE
— Maximum fines and jail terms for animal-cruelty offenses
have been raised to $10,000 and 12 months respectively, up from $500
and six months. Abandoning an animal has
also been made an offense, in order to deter irresponsible
owners from discarding their pets.
Source: The
Straits Times, Singapore.
9 July 2002
 DENVER,
Colo. (USA) — "Westy"
the cat re-writes Colorado law books. Animal
cruelty is now a Class 6 felony, carrying penalties of up to
18 months in prison for the first conviction, 3 years for subsequent
convictions. Both felonies carry fines up to $100,000.
(Click
here to meet Westy.)
Source: Cats
in the News, 10 June 2002
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Great Web Sites on
Animal Cruelty Law |
- pet-abuse.com
features the Convicted Animal Abuser Database and other
info.
- CatsInTheNews.com
has compiled a list of all 50 United States and their
current animal abuse laws, as well as links to government sites.
- cfhs.ca
lists current animal protection laws for Canadian provinces.
- aspca.org
provides links where you can report animal cruelty (USA).
- naturewatch.org
reports news from around the world pertaining to the legal
issues of animal abuse.
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"Since dogs have entered domestic service of human beings, they
have given solace and companionship when needed. They have helped hunt,
guard flocks, and in ice and snow have pulled sleds.
"They have rescued people when lost in snowdrifts. They act as
police in sniffing out crimes, and they become eyes for those who cannot
see. They guard homes and possessions. All this, these creatures do for
kind, humane treatment.
"Watching this video of the conditions that these dogs were
subjected to was one of the most deplorable things this Court has observed
in the 22 years in the course of being on the bench.
"And though, Judy Fay Johnson, you urge this Court to take into
consideration the mitigating factors that you've been sick up to two years
prior to them being rescued from your care. You say you've been sick. You
talked about reducing the population, but the only thing you did was sell
puppies.
"The Court finds that you have a previous history of criminal
convictions or criminal behavior, that the offense involved more than one
victim, that the victims were particularly vulnerable, that you have a
previous history of unwillingness to comply with conditions of a sentence
involving release into the community, and that you abused the position of
public or private trust.
"The Court further finds that you were charged with this exact
same charge in 1993, and after a period of probation, the matter was
dismissed.
"Judy Fay Johnson, you're sentenced to 11 months and 29 days in
each of the 11 counts of cruelty to animals. These will be run concurrent.
Further, this Court finds that probation would not serve the ends of
justice, nor be in the best interest of the public, nor would this have a
deterrent effect for such gross behavior.
"Therefore, you, Judy Fay Johnson, shall serve six months of your
sentence on condition that you make restitution to the Dyersburg Humane
Society for $3,242 for the expenses involved in freeing those dogs from
their purgatory and your payment of the fine and costs in full. You are
further prohibited from ever running or owning any animal kennel or owning
any animal as a pet.
"Stanley Johnson, the Court finds that your offenses involve more than
one victim. The victims were particularly vulnerable. You treated the
victims with exceptional cruelty. You abused the position of public or
private trust. You were charged with the exact same charge in 1993 that
after a period of probation was dismissed.
"You are sentenced to 11 months and 29 days in each of the 11
counts. . . . You shall serve 90 days of your sentence on condition that
$3,242 be paid to the Dyersburg Humane Society for the expenses involved
in removing the helpless dogs from your custody. You are further
prohibited from ever running or owning any animal kennel or owning any
animal as a pet.
"There are those who would argue that you should be confined in a
house trailer with no ventilation or in a cell three-by-seven with eight
or ten other inmates with no plumbing, no exercise and no opportunity to
feel the sun or smell fresh air. However, the courts of this land have
held that such treatment is cruel and inhuman, and it is.
"You will not be treated in the same way that you treated these
helpless animals that you abused to make a dollar."
§§§
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