Disturbing news story (homes, food, money)

[Jammie]

Moderator cut: As you can tell, I changed the title of the thread. If it's the last thread posted in, it's very visible on the forum and it may be better with a different title. Message is still the same, just not as much of a negative drawing card. Actually, we could use some negative press about this, but this isn't really the place for it.

[my02ctd]

Definitely there needs to be something done. That is just terrible. We need something to get people like that but also becareful not to go after farmers and ranchers for working thier livestock.

[ewharlan]

Yes, I do want to move to South Dakota as soon as I find a house where I can have six dogs. (Oops, another pet parent.)

There is a clear link in research between animal abuse and child abuse, domestic violence and violent crime in general. As a licensed psychologist and research scientist I know this to be a fact.

Also, the normal course of farming is protected in humane laws. Visit HSUS website for video and you'll find this isn't always a great idea.

She's a brave heart. I wish her luck.

[AJTucson]

ewharlan - that is very scary (but need to know info I think) information. I have to say after I read the first (and only one I read) article, I thought of Dahmer. He too participated in animal abuse. Honestly, this whole deal makes me sick, but I wanted to mention that I feel you bring up valid points.

[Alaskapat528]

Originally Posted by Jammie

Woman circulating petition to change state’s cruelty law | The Daily Republic | Mitchell, South Dakota

This is a heartbreaking story and there seem to be a lot of them throughout the years in our state. It isn't any wonder that we rate near the top of lists for animal cruelty. Can you imagine cutting your dog's ears off with a scissors? Then giving him alcohol and vycodin for the pain? We are one of four states who still have no felony charges for animal abuse. Idaho, Mississippi, and North Dakota are the others.

There is an online petition, but I am contacting this brave gal and signing it in person. Hopefully some of you will do the same.

How ironic, I just clicked on to be sure the link was working and here's another story just as horrible~

The Daily Republic | Mitchell, South Dakota

The caption caught my eye Jammie. How horrible!! I love animals and people like that make me sick. If this had happened in Alaska they would have received a fine and possibly jail time since we have abuse laws here which they do strictly enforce. I didn't read the second link; that kind of stuff just makes me cringe as well as furious! I can't sign the petition but wish all of you the best of luck with it. I know when we were in Ohio I was shocked to learn they also don't have any animal abuse laws but sure have "ban" laws on pits which teed me off.

Our dogs are members of our family and this is just so sad that there are people like this in the world. Again, best of luck to all of you with the petition.

[dakotajane]

There are other folks in South Dakota working on this. They have met with Rep. Cutler who will be presenting the felony bill again in 2010. They have a meeting in Sioux Falls on Oct 10th and one in Madison on Oct 11th Bark the Vote! - Home

[Jammie]

That sounds wonderful. There have actually been more stories of abuse since I first posted this. I know there are a few petitions right here in town and I hope they're in every city and that everyone is encouraging their friends to sign them. It's about time we came out of the Dark Ages.

[vkhmini]

Do I have to be a SD resident to sign it? I'm all for it.

Right now I'm fuming because some folks I know have allowed the stray cat they "adopted" several months ago to become a kitten factory, and PAWS isn't going to take any more than one litter from them. Mama cat just had her second litter today, and the female they kept from the first litter, and haven't had spayed yet, is allowed outside whenever she wants. She'll be pregnant before long, and I'm so angry that I don't think I can be friends with these folks any more. Pure irresponsibility, which is a form of cruelty in itself.

Sorry for ranting.

[Jammie]

VKH, ranting can be good at times. It's what improves our world.

You don't have to be a state resident to sign the online petition. I don't think that an online petition would help with any legalities, BUT it could help our state lawmakers see that many others in the country are tired of our barbaric and outdated attitudes. I believe in order to sign the paper petitions that will be taken to Pierre, you have to be a state resident and a registered voter. The online one could still help the cause though.

[SDHomesteader]

We got more stray cats in Buffalo here than we do people I think. We ourselves have 6 cats, all that go outside at one time or another. We took the responsibility to get the Girls fixed because of the stray cat population. The guy across the alley from me, Who works for Game and Parks, has about 20 strays that he feeds if and when he is home, he works at the rapid city office i believe, and refuses to get any of them spayed or neutered. I think he is in town maybe once a month and all these cats are outside cats. We finally had to enclose our back porch (actually our only entrance to the house) just to keep these dang blasted stray cats from eating the every growing in price Cat Food that we put out for our cats. We have no animal shelters up here to even consider taking any of them in, Spearfish being the closest one, and they refuse cats about 90% of the time. They are really getting to be a nuisance even though the kittens are just too dang cute for their own good. You'd think being a damn game and parks guy he would understand the consequences of female cats running around unspayed. They are worse than rabbits sometimes.

I'm at a loss on what to do with them, I can't kill them. I'm too much of a cat person myself. I thought about Trapping them and then driving them out to the lake area and putting them there. But that doesn't solve the problem either, just moves the problem somewhere else. Knowing my luck though they would all find there way back LOL.