Investigation underway in SC concerning dogs shot and dumped in landfill

The Chesterfield County sheriff’s office is investigating allegations that shelter employees shot nearly two dozen dogs and dumped them in a nearby landfill.

WECT.com reports a shelter volunteer, acting on a tip, went to the landfill and discovered two of the dogs with apparent gunshot wounds to the head.

The shelter has been temporarily shut down and the employees placed on administrative leave during the investigation, and the animals are being cared for by patrol officers.

Farm Sanctuary speaks out on latest news out of Ohio on veal calf confinement

Photo - Farm Sanctuary

I received a press release late last night from the Farm Sanctuary, in response to the recent 6-5 vote by the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board to permit the inhumane confinement of veal calves in crates.

These crates, as you can see in the photo, are tiny and do not even allow the calves room to turn around.

Another case representing the domestic violence – animal cruelty link

A Virginia woman has been charged with child abuse and animal cruelty. It is yet another bit of evidence to connect the two types of crime.

WCYB.com reports police went to the home on Christmas Day after a hospital reported a 3-year-old had severe suffered bruising and brain injury. Police went back there the following day, after a 4-year-old girl was taken to the hospital with bruising.

A pit bull was also found dead in the back yard that reports suggest was malnourished and had frozen to death.

The link between animal cruelty and domestic abuse

Two related stories came across the Pack News Wire today. One reports on a Long Island, NY man who has been charged with felony animal cruelty for beating his girlfriend’s dog to death.

He allegedly picked the small dog up and threw it against a nightstand and then began punching it in the head. The Pomeranian suffered multiple rib fractures, a broken chest and a punctured lung – according to a story published by NBC New York.

Mississippi House sends bill forward to toughen up animal cruelty laws

Senate Bill 2821 creates “an offense of aggravated cruelty if an individual, with malice, intentionally tortures, mutilates, maims, burns, starves or disfigures any domesticated dog or cat,” according to a story from ClarionLedger.com.

Additionally, anyone convicted of aggravated cruelty twice in a five-year period would face felony charges and could be fined up to $5,000 and face one to five years in prison. Now the issue apparently moves back to the Senate.

New York woman pleads guilty to torturing animals in front of her children

I recall when this story first came out. A woman in New York state was arrested in 2009 and charged with adopting animals from local shelters and then torturing them to death in front of her children.

It was reported that 42 dogs were found buried in her backyard. Writer Cheryl Hanna, in an Examiner.com story, reports prosecutors called her home a “concentration camp for the animals.”

She was charged with six Class A misdemeanors for endangering the welfare of a child, two felony charges of aggravated cruelty to two animals and five misdemeanors for animal cruelty. How could any of this be considered just a misdemeanor?

NC’s Chamberlin’s Law could improve animal welfare in the state

At last report – thanks to efforts of Susie’s Miracle Fund and the Guilford County Animal Shelter and North Carolina Voters for Animal Welfare – a dog is recovering from abuse and legislation named in his honor is hopefully getting closer to passage.

Chamberlin’s Law specifically deals with the abandonment of animals and sets minimum standards for shelter and fills in some holes in current laws in North Carolina.

Warning– the video below contains images of an injured Chamberlin and may not be suitable or all viewers. He was left alone to die in a field High Point, N.C.

Bill in Colorado detrimental to animal welfare voted down in committee

On Monday, the Colorado House Agriculture Committee voted 12-1 to close the book on House Bill 1063. This bill and its sponsor wanted to prevent non-profit organizations such as the Humane Society from investigating cases of animal cruelty.

Rep. Wes McKinley (D-Walsh) was quoted by the KDVR.com as saying – “I don’t like the idea of special interest groups enforcing things they don’t know anything about.”

So the first-ever, brand new Pack of Putrid Punditry Award goes to McKinley. I know where he’s trying to go, but it’s a big swing and a miss. Actually, groups like the Humane Society and the ASPCA are highly qualified to investigate animal cruelty.

News from all around – legislation, animal cruelty and more

Nearing the end of a very busy day, from covering high school basketball to earlier attending a local event known as the Love a Pet Fair.

So to maintain my streak of posting every day alive, let’s take a quick note of some news items from over the last couple of days.

In Colorado, the state legislature is debating a bill to increase the penalties against those who commit crimes against service dogs, including law enforcement K-9 units.

Elected officials in Colorado and Virginia want to weaken animal-welfare laws

We are seeing some states moving closer to passing better laws to protect animals from abuse and send abusers to prison. But two stories linked below offer a reminder that some legislators and the entities that guide their actions with donations want to gut protections for animals.

In Virginia, two bills have been introduced that Change.org is reporting will lower care standards for farm animals, including horses.