OUTRAGE
by admin
I just read THIS ARTICLE. It was on our local paper’s website today. My arms are hot, as the blood in my veins boil with anger. I hope my words below make sense because as I am typing at the speed of light, fueled by my soul-burning outrage. I am pouring my words into this computer so that I don’t lash out in the violent manner that this rage insights in me. (Did I mention that I am angry?)
From WXII.com, a summary:
Summary
This photo is from the Winston-Salem Journal, Courtesy of Fur-Ever Friends of NC. This is the dog they found near death. He had to be euthanized.
I know that my passion for animals runs to the extreme. Not everyone agrees that animals should be treated as family members. But, in this day and age, can we at least agree that they deserve some basic rights??? They deserve to be treated as living, breathing creatures that experience pain and emotions! At the very least, can we all agree that someone who withholds the basics needs for a dog… allowing them to suffer and die… should be held accountable for the heinous act that it is?
Unfortunately, in animal rescue, we see this kind of disgust all of the time. What makes me especially angry about this case is that the law had a chance to do something about it and didn’t. District Judge Roland Hayes NOT ONLY let her off with a minor probation, “will not serve any time in jail, as long as she breaks no laws”, but he will allow her to own pets again after 18 months!?!?!?!?!?! This “man” believes that someone capable of such a horrible act should be allowed to enjoy the gift of pet parenthood again!?! It is NOT a right to own a pet. It is a PRIVILEGE. If you abuse it, you LOSE it. FOREVER! If she had starved her children to death, would we allow her to adopt children in the future? Clearly this “man” has no sense of justice… something that should be required of a judge. He failed those dogs, he failed this woman’s children, he failed ALL OF US.
This woman’s excuse that her “children were supposed to be taking care of the animals” makes me ill. IT IS NOT YOUR DOG’S JOB TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN RESPONSIBILITY! IT IS YOUR JOB! And if you fail at that job, fire yourself… do not let your dog pay for it! Pushing the blame upon your minor children is weak and pathetic.
I am repulsed by the notion that this woman and I are members of the same race, that being human. Not only should this woman be in jail, but her children should be removed from her home. If she can ignore the cries and moans, the anguish, of two helpless dogs dying in her backyard, then what is she capable of doing to her own children? She obviously has no morals and no human decency.
I don’t care if this woman was living on 50 cents a week and eating SPAM to stay alive. As a pet owner and as a HUMAN BEING, the least she could have done was let those dogs loose to fend for themselves. Locking them in and watching as they wasted away to piles of bones and skin is something we don’t even do to rodents. This is behavior that should be expected only from savages and terrorists… not from our neighbors!
I would really like to do more. If someone out there knows what I can do, please let me know. Does Judge-I-Left-My-Sense-of-Humanity-At-Home-Today have a supervisor I can write a letter to? Should I send an opinion letter to the paper? Is there a Facebook page I need to start in support of “justice for all”? Point me in the right direction and let me put these convictions to work!
Got your text today, and I have been waiting to read the blog. Just got home, let the dogs out, opened a bottle of wine, and sat down to read. You are right…infuriating… How many of ours could thar hve been? I have flashbacks to Champ, Gabby, both Charlies, Duke and Layla when they all first came to us, just to name a few. And now sweet, sweet Georgia who brought me to tears before I ever even met her. The sad part of our recent Georgia rescue? She and her babies were saved, and we’ll make sure that none of them ever call into the hands of “owners” who would do this to them again. But, what of the other three dogs confiscated along with them? That’s right….there were others who were taken along with them. All three pulled from their hellhole only to be euthanized shortly after. We will think “at least their departure was quick and painless thanks to a caring staff and humane euthanasia laws that exist for Forsyth county.” Is it, though? Painless, that is? Is it painless when all of your life, you’ve been denied sustenance that should be available to all living creatures? I wonder, sometimes, how it can actually feel to starve and dehydrate and to feel your body collapsing on itself and giving out, knowing that just inside the house, lies everything that you need. Rescuers in blue come and take you away to a shelter where you are finally fed but your stomach turns and can’t process it now that you actually have a meal. How many times have we seen that. Additionally, now you now suffer the emotional effects of being ripped away from all that you know, to spend your final days in a cell, surrounded by other barking, tortured dogs….Is it painless? The end is merciful, I’m sure. But not painless, in my opinion.
Grrrrr. I already feel like we fight a never ending, no win battle. Changing laws is difficult as is inviting a judge into a boxing ring, I’m sure. But, at the very least, I think that you and I are here to provide a voice for those who do not have one. We’ve done that in many ways thus far….and in ways that we never thought we would. Maybe its time to try something new 🙂 I have contact info for the Humane Society rep for NC, the one who works to change laws, and also for the woman who worked on Susie’s Law. At the very least, perhaps they can point to the right direction. And, if not, I have a wonderful criminal lawyer at our disposal who can give advice. Let’s talk tomorrow and pick through my email contacts while we are at AARF.
*Sorry for the mega-comment and for any typos. Writing from my “smart”phone…
Erin – You read my mind. I was so scared to look at the photos fearful that I might recognize them. In that state, it is impossible to recognize any dog. But, I see all of the ones I love in every dog’s eyes.
You, Erin, are a hero… a real life hero. Every day you amaze me and I work to be more like you.
Let’s definitely use this as motivation to work towards changing things, making them better! I have already adjusted the post to make it into a letter. We just need to know where to send it!
Thank you for being you.
Also, when you get a chance, Google the song White Balloons by Sick Puppies (I am aware of the irony of the band’s name). It is a song that I only recently discovered, actually on the same day that I began trying to help a dog named Rowdy….a dog that was adopted from a local animal rescue group and now lives OUTSIDE IN A METAL CRATE THAT IS TOO SMALL FOR HIM. I heard the song just after I learned of Rowdy and went to visit him the same day. He’s not totally emaciated bit on his way there. The dog lives in a crate not big enough for him to stand in, covered in his own waste. Noone else seems to give a flying crap about this dog…not even his original rescue group OR animal control…even after having seen the photos I took and heard the confrontation that I had with the “owners”. Rowdy is not forgotten….just trying to figure how to help this poor dog. Anyway, I think you will understand the song. It will be used in a future Erin-video but thought I’d share it with you now.
I pay a lot of attention to the abuses that go on in farming situations, especially factory farms as well. I’d also add to this that every single animal deserves to be at least treated with compassion. I can’t believe this world we live in…and it angers me so much that most people don’t take this type of abuse seriously. Dogs, cats, cows, chickens…we have the power and control as humans to make all of their lives better. When judges and other officials don’t take this seriously, it only adds to the apathy everyone already has!
I commend both of you for the work you do! I am thankful you both exist!!!
Thank you Darcy! Your committment to ethical eating (is that the way to say it) is amazing! Stories like this really challenge my beliefs and make me think harder about my own choices in that regard as well.