Tag: animal cruelty
Animal shelter workers: We were forced to freeze kittens to death
Indiana cops are investigating a disturbing case of animal abuse, in which shelter workers allegedly euthanized kittens by freezing them alive.
Several ex-employees have come forward and claimed to have witnessed the cruel and inhumane procedure being performed at the Spencer County Animal Shelter on at least two different occasions.
One former worker named Bridgett Woodson spoke to local media outlets about the horrific things she saw during her three and a half months working at the shelter. She told reporters that she was asked to participate in the kitty killings twice — with the most recent case coming on July 31.
“The first time I was given an option to either just put it in a bag and put it in the freezer with no sedation, nothing — because I’m not a vet, I don’t have the license to be able to do that,” Woodson explained, speaking to WEHT.
“The second time I was not given the option, and I was just told to go ahead and put it in the freezer,” she said. “I mean, this cat was still up and moving and I had told her, and I still got the same response.”
Woodson reportedly refused “both times” to put the cats in the freezer and eventually took it upon herself to call the vet. She was allegedly ordered to carry out the killings by a Spencer County Animal Control Officer, the Courier & Press reports.
“I had to do something,” Woodson told the newspaper, noting how she quit her job and eventually got cops to investigate.
“I’m super concerned about the animals,” she said. “If this is deemed as acceptable and no one is held accountable, what else will start to slip through the cracks.”
Spencer County Sheriff’s Office Detective Chris King, who is handling the case, told WEHT that a number of witnesses have come forward since Woodson first accused the shelter of animal abuse. They claimed to have seen at least two freezer killings — one of which included the deaths of four kittens at once.
County officials expect the investigation to be taken over by the Indiana State Police due to conflict-of-interest reasons.
The animal control officer allegedly involved in the kitty deaths, identified by WEHT as Christina Payne, refused to answer requests for comment over the weekend. Woodson has been sharing text messages they exchanged about the alleged abuse with local media outlets.
“Hey. I took the cat to the vet and had it put down,” the ex-employee wrote in one text to Payne, according to the Courier.
“You can take the cost out of my pay check if that’s a problem,” she said. “I will not be putting live animals in the freezer if there’s another option available, please don’t ask me to do that again.”
In response, Payne wrote: “That’s fine but so you know, the freezer option is no less humane. It’s fine though Bridge. I’m here for my employees. Always.”
The American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals considers the “slow chilling or freezing of unanesthetized animals” an unacceptable and inhumane method of euthanasia. It’s unclear when the investigation will be complete, but state police officials told the Courier that they expect to have an update in the coming days.
via: https://nypost.com/2018/08/13/animal-shelter-workers-we-were-forced-to-freeze-kittens-to-death/
Teen allegedly broke into neighbor’s barn, molested horse
A young man was caught sexually molesting a horse in Alabama last week — and the owner of the animal has reason to believe this wasn’t their first rendezvous.
“I would say seven, maybe 10 times,” owner Francince Janes told NBC 15, in reference to the number of times she found evidence that her barn had been tampered with last month.
“Toilet paper had been left. The hay stacks had been removed. Items had been turned over. And that’s as far as I want to go.”
Daniel Bennett, 18, of Irvington, is currently awaiting trial after being arrested last Thursday night by officers from the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.
He reportedly confessed to attempting to molest the horse — a 20-year-old steed named Polly — inside Janes’ barn and was charged with possession of burglar’s tools, criminal trespassing and bestiality, which is a misdemeanor.
According to AL.com, the official warrant for Bennett’s arrest says he “engaged in or submitted to any sexual contact with an animal, to-wit: a horse.”
Janes told NBC 15 that her husband was the one who caught the young man after their dogs woke them up barking. He reportedly held Bennett at gunpoint and spoke with him briefly before police arrived.
Describing what Bennett told her husband, Janes said: “He likes horses. He wanted to pet the horse.”
Asked what the young man told investigators, she replied: “That he molested the horse.”
Whether it was a spur of the moment decision or not, Polly’s owner hopes Bennett will eventually seek treatment for bestiality.
“I sincerely hope the judge mandates that he goes for psychiatric help,” Janes said. “But just not a slap on the wrist.”
via: https://nypost.com/2018/01/09/teen-allegedly-broke-into-neighbors-barn-molested-horse/
Long Island man busted for sexually abusing two horses
A Long Island man has been arrested for having sexual contact with two horses, cops said Thursday.
Steven Errante was busted Wednesday after cops determined he allegedly had inappropriate contact with the horses on Aug. 25 and Sept. 4 at a stable in his home town of Dix Hills.
In 2013, Errante, 30, was arrested for beating his Labrador mix named Chantel Girl with a bat.
The dog suffered skull and facial fractures and broken front legs. She had to be euthanized.
In addition to beating the dog, Errante also broke his own father’s ribs with a baton in 2013, according to authorities.
He was ordered to add his name to Suffolk County’s Animal Abuse Offender Registry.
He failed to do so and cops opened an investigation. During the probe, they uncovered the alleged sexual abuse of the horses.
Errante is charged with two counts of sexual misconduct with animals and failure to register as an animal abuse offender.
Alabama Woman Faked Pregnancy, Killed Small Dog to Stage Miscarriage
A 43-year-old Alabama woman who allegedly killed her Chihuahua as part of a plot to fake a miscarriage has been arrested, according to authorities.
Anita Parker is accused of killing the dog, then cutting open the pet’s stomach to take its blood and tissue to stage the miscarriage, KTLA sister station WHNT in Alabama reported Friday, citing Lawrence County Sheriff Gene Mitchell.
Parker then called 911 for medical assistance and was taken to a hospital. The woman’s husband told local television station WAFF that his wife said she had flushed the stillborn baby down the toilet.
He was convinced she was seven months along in her pregnancy.
“I guess she pushed her belly out all the time, because it looked like to me she was,” he told WAFF.
It was later determined Parker had not suffered a miscarriage and hadn’t been pregnant, according to WHNT.
The mutilated Chihuahua was discovered by her husband in the trash can.
She “gutted the dog and used the blood all over my bed, like she had a miscarriage,” he said through tears. “I loved that dog.”
Parker allegedly pretended to be pregnant with his child in order to convince him to move back in with her; she faked the miscarriage in order to cover up the lie, investigators told WHNT.
The suspect allegedly confessed before she was booked into the Lawrence County Jail, according to the station. Her bail was set at $7,000.