Horse Cruelty

[virividox]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/06/08/crime.horses.reut/index.html

They should starve her for 4 months and see how she likes it

 

[pooky]

Bread and water! And for only 3 days? She got off easy.

 

[QCassidy352]

Deplorable as the woman's actions were, I don't agree with what the judge did. This is supposed to be a civilized society. But then again, this was in Texas...

 

[poopyhead]

Deplorable as the woman's actions were, I don't agree with what the judge did. This is supposed to be a civilized society. But then again, this was in Texas...

bread and water for 3 days
that is civilized

 

[jamdr]

Deplorable as the woman's actions were, I don't agree with what the judge did. This is supposed to be a civilized society. But then again, this was in Texas...

And just where are you from that puts you in a position to condescend Texas? You tried to take the moral high ground on this one but ended up sounding like a pretentious fool. Good job.

Animal cruelty really makes my blood boil because animals are such innocent creatures. Only the sickest, most depraved humans can be cruel to creatures who have absolutely no defenses--especially in this case, where the horses are in capitivity. I'd much rather humans prey on each other, where the victim is able to defend themselves at least to some degree and then seek justice through our court system. In my opinion, this woman herself should have been starved for four months. I have no sympathy for her at all.

 

[bousozoku]

Deplorable as the woman's actions were, I don't agree with what the judge did. This is supposed to be a civilized society. But then again, this was in Texas...

Hey, beating up on Texas is my job, but only if France is not involved.

We had an incident recently where some woman had two very large dogs--perhaps Great Danes--and apparently, couldn't afford to feed them. The neighbours called the management because of the smell.

They showed the dogs on the news and it was so sad. The last I saw, they were making a nice recovery but they should hang her by her toes.

 

[Abstract]

I agree with Jamdr. We're cruel to animals because we think we can be -- because we think it's our inherent right as human beings. People pick on animals because we know they won't fight back. They live like babies ....they seem to see the world through innocent eyes, and really don't know why we treat them poorly, but feel bad for it anyway. And if they DO fight back, we punish them physically.....we break their spirits down.....slowly....slowly until they don't fight back and feel weak. That, or we just kill them. And yet when someone does that to someone else (ie: physically/verbally abusive husband), people don't think its right. So when is it right, and when is it wrong?

She should have been given bread and water for her entire sentence, and it should have been longer than 1 month, considering how much pain both horses have felt.

 

[zarathustra]

Deplorable as the woman's actions were, I don't agree with what the judge did. This is supposed to be a civilized society. But then again, this was in Texas...

OK, I am sure if she were to be in incredible discomfort the jail would accomodate her. The horses on the other hand could only stand around and hope for the best for FOUR MONTHS. I don't think the decision is uncivilized - not even harsh considering what she did to those poor horses.

BTW, I, as a Texan do not appreciate unsubstantiated and condescending remarks without supporting them with facts.

 

[radhak]

considering that one of the horses had to be euthanized because of her, she definitely got off easy. The jail sentence should have been longer, and some sort of a severe fine.

 

[jackieonasses]

doesnt texas have covered wagons and horses???

you know i am kidding. I live in good ol' oklahoma, and people ask me that all the freakin time!

 

[zarathustra]

doesnt texas have covered wagons and horses???

That we do, but we are not uncivilized!

 

[ejb190]

Looking at this thread, I can't help but think about a situation I recently had to deal with.

It leads me to ask this question: How can people become so openly outraged about animal abuse cases, even when they occur far away, yet choose to ignore the crulety to CHILDREN that occurs right in front of them every day.

I wish I could spill the whole story here, but I can't.

It makes me irate that some people look at owning animals and having kids as a right - not a responsibility. I don't mean to sound uncaring or cold when I say this, but there is one big difference between dealing with animal and child abuse cases. When things get really bad, I have no problem putting a horse down. With kids, we have to make every effort to pull the peices back together, no matter how bad things have gotten.

Sorry to vent - this just touched a nerve today...

 

[rainman::|:|]

Looking at this thread, I can't help but think about a situation I recently had to deal with.

It leads me to ask this question: How can people become so openly outraged about animal abuse cases, even when they occur far away, yet choose to ignore the crulety to CHILDREN that occurs right in front of them every day.

I wish I could spill the whole story here, but I can't.

It makes me irate that some people look at owning animals and having kids as a right - not a responsibility. I don't mean to sound uncaring or cold when I say this, but there is one big difference between dealing with animal and child abuse cases. When things get really bad, I have no problem putting a horse down. With kids, we have to make every effort to pull the peices back together, no matter how bad things have gotten.

You have a point, but that's a bit like saying no scientists/doctors should worry about skin cancer, because breast cancer kills so many more people per year. Abuse is abuse, whether it happens to an animal or a child, the pathology is usually the same on the part of the abuser-- indeed, if childhood animal abuse was dealt with properly, many serial killers may have been prevented. Animal abuse and child abuse go hand-in-hand, in many ways. Child abuse is finally being taken seriously by the courts and much of society, whereas animal abuse is not. There's nothing wrong with being outraged at such acts of cruelty against animals, simply because outrageous acts of cruelty against children are also present in our society...

paul

 

[jsw]

... There's nothing wrong with being outraged at such acts of cruelty against animals, simply because outrageous acts of cruelty against children are also present in our society...

paul

Well said. Cruelty to children is horrific. Utterly. Cruelty to animals is at best a sign of serious trouble within the individual - even for those with no sympathy to the animal in question - and at worst also horrific.

 

[ejb190]

Paul and jsw:

I agree with you both. Your comments are very well made. I am not saying that animal abuse is less serious or not a big deal. My complaint is with people who push and prod the legal system to take action so they can make themselves feel good or self important because they helped a few animals that may or may not have needed it. A bit of a tangent off the original story, I realize.

I guess I should give a bit of background. A couple of years ago I was in charge of a youth program which involved horses. During an event a horse became spooked, threw the rider, and ran into a parked car shattering two windows and injuring itself severly. When I got there I saw 15 parents running to get the horse while the rider laid in the dirt alone. The rest of the week I listened as everyone asked how the horse was. Everyone knew what the horse's name was. If anyone asked about the rider, it was as an afterthought. The whole thing still makes me sick. The rider, by the way, got away with a few scraches and a nice bruse on her hip.

Now, after dealing with what amounts to a child neglect case, I'm just a bit sensitive right now about this sort of thing. Don't worry. It's just me.

 

[wdlove]

That is just very said. I admire that Judge, finally a sentence that fits the crime. We are to too soft on criminals in this country.

 

[iMook]

Even though this does not relate closely to the circumstances of the subject at hand (I think that judge is brilliant), it is my opinion that the whole animal cruelty thing has been blown out of proportion.

The way modern society judges a big issue now, especially a humanitarian one, is by anecdotes and martyrs. By this, I mean an occasion that is extreme enough and, more importantly, rare enough to be sensational.

Take these horses for example: their circumstances are probably quite rare. Rare enough to garner one's attention. Of course, without the Judge's strange sentence, this case would probably have been quietly filed away in the annals of a Texas archive (I grew up in Austin, btw) with nary a second thought.

Indeed, the outrage expressed in this forum is, to put it quite cynically, a way to feel good about yourself after a day's work. To be able to say "I spoke out against a big issue involving doe-eyed horses and aa perfectly tangible and identifiable evil. I can sleep well now."

If such a byzantine sentence were passed down to a child abuser through, for example, having him hang by his pinkies while watching a 10-year Blue's Clues marathon, I believe that child abuse would have a few days in the dim limelight (yet it's doubtful it'd garner as much outrage). But of course, child abuse is a rather common occurrence, and such more common atrocities are not given much recognition, simply due to the morbid fact that they occur with much greater frequency.

With animal cruelty, it's become "Oh look! These horses! These six horses, in this isolated incident, have been starved for the last 18 months, in a shack... made of driftwood... held together by strawberry bubble gum... oh the poor things!"
While with much greater and more deadly issues, it's become: "Oh? Child abuse again? Yeah. Child abuse is bad. *grave nod* So d'you hear that the Pistons crushed the Lakers last night?"

Just the fact that this animal cruelty case has garnered the attention of the media shows us that it is not something that has so commonly been reported that we've learned to accept its horror as part of everyday life, but as an oddity. Child abuse? Poverty? Social divides? War? Plague? We've learned to just live with these things, and pass them by with a shrug and a frown.

I think that is a much sadder thought than the plight of a pair of horses.

 

[radhak]

Even though this …. than the plight of a pair of horses.

You are rambling so much that I don’t even know where you are headed

So you feel so bad about child abuse that you don’t like me (and others here) feeling bad about animal abuse? Maybe you shd not even have come into this thread, the header was explicit enough. Or you are concerned that with every expression of support for animals, there is that much less for children? But you have listed a host of other social issues that need more attention, so too much distraction there too. So what then must we do?

Just curious : what do you do when you hear of all this, other than nodding gravely and then talking of the game last night?

 

[BOSOX78250]

That is just very said. I admire that Judge, finally a sentence that fits the crime. We are to too soft on criminals in this country.

That is a great point!

The punishment is uncivilized. Hey, an uncivlized punishment for an uncivilized crime. I bet she won't starve anymore horses.

 

[ClimbingTheLog]

bread and water for 3 days
that is civilized

Drat. I'm overtired, so when I read this the first time I read, "the first 30 days of her sentance." That seemed fair. She'd be uncomfortable but not starve.

Then I read you comment, re-read the article, and now I think it's atrocious.

Bread and water for 3 days? Cripes, you do worse as a grad student. Heck, in some parts of the world that's normal.

This lady tortured horses and she gets a slap on the wrist. I guess they have the biggest balls in Alaska too.

 

[poopyhead]

Drat. I'm overtired, so when I read this the first time I read, "the first 30 days of her sentance." That seemed fair. She'd be uncomfortable but not starve.

Then I read you comment, re-read the article, and now I think it's atrocious.

Bread and water for 3 days? Cripes, you do worse as a grad student. Heck, in some parts of the world that's normal.

This lady tortured horses and she gets a slap on the wrist. I guess they have the biggest balls in Alaska too.

I agree completely
as a student (24 so kinda non traditional)
I've lived on pinto beans, navy beans, split peas, peanut butter and jelly, and liquor for a couple of years
not as punishment for some horrible deed but as economic necessity
this woman is getting off easy