Poll: Opinion on animal abusers

[SnakeoilSage]

I think they should have been locked in stocks, unfed and regularly given public lashings. Anyone who uses their power as a human and keeper of animals to traps pets (or any animal or human) in an existence of misery, pain and despair deserves the same in kind.

 

[Heronblade]

Assuming that the statements of the people involved were at least reasonably honest, namely that they were trying, but were unaware of how serious it actually was, their sentence is reasonable. If not, and it was simple indifference, the sentence is quite insufficient.

 

[bobmus]

This seems massively excessive on first glance, but then again I don't know all the facts. It was merely 24 hours of neglect - the dog had a thyroid condition. But then again, there may be more than meets the eye...

 

[gigastar]

Seems like gross negligence through ignoracne.

First times the warning, next time they face the music.

 

[chadachada123]

Ugh. I do think that the punishment, from a legal standpoint, was just, since they can no longer own any pets. It could have down with more financial punishments.

That said, I wish someone would have beat the shit out of them before the law took over. They are worthless scum.

 

[MrMixelPixel]

18 weeks in prison,

They didn't go to prison.

It was a suspended sentence meaning if they screw up again in that time THEN they go to prison.

You've overturned my ignorance good sir. Thank you.

Hrmmm... my previous opinions on the subject may be a bit flawed...

 

[urluckyidunbeatu]

Legally, it was fair enough, but I hope they live with every shred of guilt that they deserve for the rest of their lives. The image of that poor dog burned into the every moment of their memories. I can't believe the stupidity and neglect they exhibited, it's a true show of their incapability as pet owners, and partly as human beings. There should have no doubt been a point within that month when trying to feed the dog showed no signs of helping and the dog continued to lose weight where the owners felt the need to see the vet. It shouldn't have taken a month if the dog lost that much weight. I don't feel that the punishment was right or wrong, it was fair, and that's all I can go to say, at least they were trying to feed the dog, the situation in Detroit with all the animals starving and without homes here, it's pretty bad. I just wish this one didn't have to suffer, the owners failed, and they deserve the punishment, though handing them a few weeks in jail would have been nice to see.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Who are the 4 sick bastards that said "They should not have been punished?"

It was a fair punishment, and deserved it. Animals deserve to be treated properly. If you're not going to do that, don't have a pet.

 

[spartan231490]

No, not nearly enough. I think abusing an animal is just as bad as abusing a child. Both of those things look to you as their only source of care in the world, to abuse something so powerless and completely under your control is one of the greatest sins a man can commit. Certainly worse than robbery. They should go to prison. Hard time.

 

[idarkphoenixi]

Well they didn't just kill the dog, they tortured it. Slow and brutal. This at the very least warrants actual jail time, not a suspended sentence.

Nobody should starve to death, forced to eat garbage out of pure desperation. They should get the same punishment you would for doing this to any human. And don't come at me with "it's just an animal". A dog can feel pain just as much as we can, they can emote and they each have a unique personality. The fact that we're smarter doesn't make us better, it makes us more responsible.

A pet is incapable of getting food on it's own, if you are willing to take an animal into your home then it is your duty as a human to provide for that animals basic needs:Food, shelter, attention. There is no excuse for letting a pet starve, if you can't take care of one then give it to a shelter.
I have a large number of pets (cat, dogs, parrot) and I look at them the same way I would a child. The same basic principles apply, they are both helpless beings and you need to constantly be prepared to step in and help should something come up.

 

[idarkphoenixi]

No, not nearly enough. I think abusing an animal is just as bad as abusing a child. Both of those things look to you as their only source of care in the world, to abuse something so powerless and completely under your control is one of the greatest sins a man can commit. Certainly worse than robbery. They should go to prison. Hard time.

Damnit, beat me to it.

 

[jklinders]

As nauseating as this was to me as an animal lover, I have to agree that the sentence was adequate. They were fined, banned from further animal ownership and given a suspended sentence. The facts of the case seem to make appear that they were making a misguided attempt at saving the animal. They failed and never took it to a vet. I don't see any reason to suspect it was a deliberate act of malice. If it was then I would suggest a psych eval in case they had other issues, animal abuse often being a red flag for other crap.

They did not murder a human, they did not destroy property, they did not commit fraud. I like animals but they do not have the same protection under law as people. I am fine with that.

Having said the above, if they are caught again, I would not at all object to a much more serious sentence

 

[Nouw]

OT: in this situation i'd ban them from owning another animal (obviously good) and force them to work for the RSPCA and similar organisations for a full year, because they pleaded guilty so why not let them try and repent for what they did, they killed a dog so lets have them save some dogs why? because karma is a ***** (no pun intended) and they will probably develop a compassion for animal's after they are saving and helping suffering animals for afew month's

I approve but that might back-fire >.>. Emphasis on might, they'll probably change for the better.

 

[Darkmantle]

Whoever votes "No" never had a pet he loved.
Animal cruelty should be a felony, and a serious one on top.
Stop having your heads up your asses.

well, as I read it, maybe I'm wrong, is that they were feeding the dog and trying to take care of it, but the dog had an undiagnosed cancer which fucked up it's digestive system, which led to it's death. I find it weird that the article states that they were sure the dog hasn't been fed in 24 hours, but right after that say the dogs digestive system was erratic. The owners easily could have easily fed the dog in the morning, and when they got back in the evening, it was already dead.

It just seems like they didn't make the connection that the dog not getting bigger was a result of sickness. Which, while dumb, was not malicious.

 

[Candidus]

No, not nearly enough. I think abusing an animal is just as bad as abusing a child. Both of those things look to you as their only source of care in the world, to abuse something so powerless and completely under your control is one of the greatest sins a man can commit. Certainly worse than robbery. They should go to prison. Hard time.

Damnit, beat me to it.

Doubly beaten to it.

5 Years in jail each.
£10,000 fine each.
Lifetime ban from animal ownership.

If you kill via neglect something sentient and sapient for which you have taken responsibility (if you're over 16), you ought to pay for it. You ought to lose a significant fraction of your one and only life to jail, you ought to be so heavily fined that you feel the crime for almost the rest of it, and you ought never to be allowed to keep pets `or` care for children in the future.

PS: I understand the details of `this` specific case are actually pretty sketchy, but in the hypothetical of genuine neglect the above all stands.

 

[AngleWyrm]

They received a 18- week prison sentence suspended for a year, were disqualified from keeping animals for life and were each ordered to pay £500 towards the RSPCA legal costs.

Alan Lewis, 48, was also ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work and Nadine Lewis, 41, was given a curfew order for a month.

Animal neglect should not be a felony.
Even animal abuse (which is NOT the case here) should not be a felony.

In the United States, where the felony/misdemeanor distinction is still widely applied, the federal government defines a felony as a crime punishable by death or imprisonment in excess of one year.

 

[TheVioletBandit]

Whats so bad about animal abuse? People hurt other people all the time . And people> animals . Therefore , i think we should start by trying to stop people abuse before we try to stop animal abuse . I think our priorities are borked , thats just my opinion though . Can't help others if you can't help yourself . Also that punishment was way too harsh .

But, we do punish people for abusing other people....Also by your logic animals and people are the same so why not have equal punishment for abusing either?

 

[TheVioletBandit]

They received a 18- week prison sentence suspended for a year, were disqualified from keeping animals for life and were each ordered to pay £500 towards the RSPCA legal costs.

Alan Lewis, 48, was also ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work and Nadine Lewis, 41, was given a curfew order for a month.

Animal neglect should not be a felony.
Even animal abuse (which is NOT the case here) should not be a felony.

In the United States, where the felony/misdemeanor distinction is still widely applied, the federal government defines a felony as a crime punishable by death or imprisonment in excess of one year.

I absolutely think both, animal neglect and animal abuse should be felonies.