To my fellow Animal Cops watchers

No. That would throw the scale of crime completely off kilter. If you starve to death a dog...and get to die the same way...what if you murder a child? Where exactly do you go from there? Back to public beheadings or hand's being chopped off for theft?

That kind of brutality is not the sort of society I'd want to live in...or raise children in.

Stiffer fines and some jail time are good with me. I see no need for more death.

I think that there should be bigger fines, more jail time, and they should not be allowed to own any animals.  I don't understand how people can be so cruel to their animals.  It makes me sick.  My animals eat better than I do!  I will go without just so they can have.   

 I think that most of those people definitely need to get more jail time--then again I think that most criminals who commit violent crimes don't get as much jail time as they deserve.  Actually, there are a lot of things about the justice system that confuse me.  You can get a couple of years *maybe* for setting a dog on fire but 10 years for being caught with too much pot on you without committing any sort of violent crime at all.  Now tell me, who is more dangerous to our society--a guy smoking pot in his parent's basement with his buddies or a guy who torches random pets.....

Bullymom

 My animals eat better than I do!  I will go without just so they can have.   

 Mine do too! it's kinda sad actually, my golden retriever know when were in a drive thru even bfroe we order! (and he gets about 1/2 my fries) but don't think all I do is feed him junk, I'm a yogurt fanatic and he'll sait and wait for me to be done with my yogurt and he'll get the last 2-3 bites.

 I love animals cops. My favorite is the new york one. And I think the punishment should be the $1000 AND days in jail plus no more animals no matter your excuse for the cruelty.

I also think that they need to do things different on the decision of animal's lives. I saw an episode one time that had a dog on there with no teeth and they put her to sleep. That made me mad. I mean she could still eat!! Just no hard stuff. And that was all that was wrong with her. 

And like many of you all have said my dogs getting better care than me. I might be in a store somewhere and get my daughter something and see something I like for myself. I go through the pet aisle and see something for the dogs and I will put my thing back and get the dog thing. Unless I absolutely need whatever it was I picked up. 

Those are some of the stiffest punishments in the country.  Most places have very light fines, if anything is done at all, and they can still own animals, etc.  Most of the time, the animal is seized or surrendered and the case rarely goes forward because it's very hard to prove.  Same reason few child abuse cases result in convictions and jail time.  Children and animals make lousy witnesses.

The reasons that human criminals get such light sentences for violent crimes is overcrowding and the unwillingness of the public to put money into programs that really reduce crime (although, overall crime is down in most sectors) and the reason drug offenses get such stiff penalties although they (mostly) don't involve a "victim" is because the focus the federal government chose to put on the "war on drugs" back during the Reagan era and put federal penalties and federal time into the drug codes.  Also because it's easier to penalize a certain ethnic population for crack and go lightly on another population for powder cocaine.  Doesn't make sense, but there it is.

(Sorry I'm a criminal justice major, I couldn't resist putting those research papers to *some* use.)

It is a very sad world we live in today....the best we can all do it  to teach our children that to harm any living thing is wrong on every level.....down to the smallest animal...It is very hard in this day and age when everyone else seems to make it okay to tourture, maim and kill.....People...Please teach your children well!!  Teach them the all creatures great and small rules!!!

BCMixs

Those are some of the stiffest punishments in the country.  Most places have very light fines, if anything is done at all, and they can still own animals, etc

Good point. At the Sherman Animal Shelter is a 9 year old female lab. As a puppy, her owner poured gasoline on her and set her on fire. The state has decreed that she will live out her life in that shelter and she cannot be adopted out. She is HA in general and HA specifically towards people of darker skin color than white. The original offender had dark skin color. And the shelter cannot refuse adoption on the basis of skin color. Anyway, the suspect got a couple of hundred dollars fine and a 6 month probated sentence. No jail time.

I agree with Bullymom that a fine should be levied, even jail time, and the suspect should be banned from owning pets. That would make future ownership of pets a contempt of court, for which you do go to jail.

I also understand Gina's point. Just the same, I would have lots of stress if I were an ACO. Even as I could rescue the animal the temptation would be strong to wreak unholy vengeance upon the suspect.

My favorite author, Heinlein, was a cat lover. He once quipped, "There is a special hell for those who abandon cats." Well, I would like to extend that hell to those that abuse any animal. Even if they don't receive retribution in this life, they will in the next.

The problem with this whole situation is that our jails are overcrowded to begin with.  The fact that any of these people actually do time in jail, is short of a miracle.  We don't have the space, so they get away with it.  I think the only way to really get these people to pay for their crimes, is to hit them in their bank accounts!  Make them pay heftier finds, then what they should do is use this money and donate it all to the shelters.  Maybe their fines from abusing/killing their animals, who help others live.

Janet808

The problem with this whole situation is that our jails are overcrowded to begin with.  The fact that any of these people actually do time in jail, is short of a miracle.  We don't have the space, so they get away with it.  I think the only way to really get these people to pay for their crimes, is to hit them in their bank accounts!  Make them pay heftier finds, then what they should do is use this money and donate it all to the shelters.  Maybe their fines from abusing/killing their animals, who help others live.

I couldn't agree more.  It seems most criminals don't care about going to jail but they would probably care a lot more if they had to pay fines. 

I'm actually amazed that states even have these animal crime units.  And that they are willing to prosecute abusers.  In my state it seems that you would have to literally drag an animal out into a crowd and beat it death for anyone to be willing to anything about it. 

Golden Tails didn't say to starve the owner to death--just til he is in poor conditon.  Heck, i think a few days without food to just give him a taste of what the poor dog suffered is relaly not such a bad idea!. 

Forums like this, and shows like Animal Cops  have made people more aware of things that go on with animals and make them angry and they "voice" their opinions and i do think it is helping get stiffer laws in some places.

sandra_slayton

Golden Tails didn't say to starve the owner to death--just til he is in poor conditon.  Heck, i think a few days without food to just give him a taste of what the poor dog suffered is relaly not such a bad idea.

 Thanks!
I think that, after the abuser gets a taste of his own medicine he/she might feel a little more inclined to try and do somthing about it and attempt to SAVE other animals, still not being allowed to own any other pets...EVER!