Animal Abuse Arrests
Hope the authorities have the right folks in custody...you really have to wonder what's wrong with people who do something like this.
Harley D. Hopkins, 22, and Jacob A. Goodboe, 16, are being held in the Josephine County Jail, charged with four counts of felony animal abuse, one count of first-degree theft, one-count of criminal mischief and one count of second-degree burglary.
Between 5 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday, the men allegedly cut through a perimeter fence at the Josephine County Animal Shelter at 1420 Brookside Blvd., [Sheriff] Gilbertson said. Eleven dogs were turned loose from the kennel. Three were found wandering near the shelter, and four were found with their heads beaten in and "meticulously laid out" in the 700 block of Pleasant Valley Road, he added. Another four were missing.
Tuesday, two of the missing dogs were returned to the shelter. An 11-year-old female red and gray dachshund was found running in a nearby neighborhood. A female chocolate Labrador retriever was seized by a deputy during the investigation. A third, one of two blue heeler-Labrador retriever puppies taken, was recovered Wednesday. The fourth is still missing.
It was four puppies under six months old that were killed. Authorities are still looking for a third suspect. Each felony could bring five years in prison, but animal abusers don't tend to get very stiff punishments. Obviously, there's a lot more to follow on this.
FYI, no mention of the animal abuse by PETA, including in the following...though the animal shelter is outside the city limits.
August 25, 2008
The Honorable Len Holzinger
Mayor of Grants Pass
Grants Pass City CouncilDear Mayor Holzinger and Councilmembers:
PETA is the world's largest animal rights organization, with more than 2 million members and supporters dedicated to animal protection. We have obtained video footage documenting elephant abuse at the Carson & Barnes Circus, which, according to the circus's Web site, is scheduled to perform in Grants Pass on August 31. Although legislation cannot be enacted in time for this upcoming performance, would you please consider a ban on bullhooks and other devices that inflict pain on or cause injury to elephants before the 2009 circus season begins?
The enclosed video footage--which is also available at Circuses.com--shows Carson & Barnes animal care director Tim Frisco viciously attacking terrified elephants with sharp metal bullhooks and electric prods. Frisco instructs other trainers to hurt the elephants until they scream and to sink a bullhook into their flesh and twist it. Frisco also cautions that the beatings must be concealed from the public. A U.S. District Court judge described this video as "troubling" and noted that it depicts conduct that violates the federal Animal Welfare Act.
The use of bullhooks results in pain, suffering, and trauma, including lacerations, puncture wounds, and abscesses. Although elephants' skin appears tough, it is so sensitive that elephants can feel the pain of an insect bite. Trainers embed the hooks into the elephants' skin and soft tissue areas. Bullhook abuse is routine at circuses that continue to use this barbaric instrument, but penalties are rare. Elephants will not be afforded more humane care until communities prohibit these cruel devices.
An elephant's ability to feel pain--as well as sorrow, joy, and happiness--rivals our own. In circuses, every instinct is subject to discipline and animals live a sad life of punishment and confinement. Elephants who reach for a blade of grass suffer a painful blow from a bullhook. A fumbled trick during the show often results in a beating.
We hope you agree that the abuse of animals in circuses is unacceptable. Please make this year's Carson & Barnes visit the last time that elephants will have to endure the bite of a bullhook in Grants Pass. Thank you for your consideration of this matter.
Sincerely,
RaeLeann Smith, Circus and Government Affairs Specialist
Circus and government in the same job title...genius. But, PETA also kills shelter animals.
From USDA affidavit of Byran M., former Carson & Barnes employee:
"When she (the elephant Del Rita) refused to hand over her trunk Joe (Frisco) took his bullhook and, using it like a baseball bat, proceeded to hit her between the eyes four times. She still refused. At this point Joe and Ben started beating Del Rita with their bullhooks. Ben was on her left side hooking the top of her ear, jabbing her left rear leg and using baseball swings with his bullhook on her side and rear legs. Joe was hitting her across her forehead and hooking her trunk with his bullhook. When this failed ... Joe pulled the hand held black hotshot (an electric prod) ... out of his back pocket. He was shocking her left hind leg, her front leg, her face and her tongue. Joe then had Darren hand him the three foot long red hotshot. He shocked her at least fifty times. During the entire beating Del Rita was defecating and urinating. She was trying to get away ... but was chained up and could not go anywhere. She kept moving from side to side. The other elephants in the barn started trumpeting loudly and defecating, urinating excessively and moving from side to side during the beatings. Tim (Frisco) said, 'The only way to handle
Posted by: Mara | September 21, 2008 at 18:30
....male elephants is to take them into the barn and beat the f--k out of them, shock till they drop.' "
Posted by: Mara | September 21, 2008 at 18:32