We need laws to protect the innocent
Posted on Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Just about everybody is feeling the pain of today’s economy.
Gas prices are at all-time highs and climbing, and homes are being foreclosed on across the country.
There is one segment of society that is suffering, and they can’t do anything about it.
People are abandoning their homes and leaving their pets behind. Sometimes the animals are found and given a second chance, and other times they are found too late.
In Rogers, an animal-control officer found a dead golden retriever in a home that had recently been abandoned. The dog, according to evidence at the scene, had attempted to scratch its way out of the house, only to die of exhaustion and starvation.
If you think it only happens in other places, our very own animal shelter is home right now to a little elderly dog that was found tethered in the carport of a city home after the owners cleared out.
The only reason investigators can give for this activity is the economy. Apparently the people who had these animals can no longer afford to feed and care for them. So, like we do with so many other things in this country that we no longer need, they are thrown out.
The pets are left to die.
The retriever left in the house didn’t have that. It was destined to die.
I wonder what else the owners of those animals could have done in order to afford their pets ? There have to be better alternatives, such as giving up the cell phone or other nonessential items.
Now, as these cases are coming to light, I hope law enforcement joins animal control and they find these former owners. Once they are located, I want to see them charged with their crime and get their day in court. I hope there is a judge out there with a strong enough backbone to throw the biggest book he or she has at these low lifes.
The only deterrent they will understand is jail time. So far, most jurisdictions don’t offer much in the way of punishment for animal cruelty, and I would bet Benton County isn’t much different. And oftentimes they do.
The little dog in Bella Vista is lucky. She was found and is now under the loving care of the folks at the shelter.
But so many others met different fates.
What I don’t understand is why ? Why would somebody do that ? How could they do something like that ?
If they didn’t want the animal, why not at least try to Well this has to change, and now is the perfect time for it. We, as a civilized country, can no longer tolerate this. We must step forward and speak for the animals who cannot speak for themselves. Maybe our local and state lawmakers, assuming they are aware of this situation, will go back to city hall and Little Rock and put together some sort of legislation that will provide some harsher punishment for animal cruelty and killing animals. When those who are guilty of this die, I wonder where their souls will go. Hell is obviously too good for them.
• • • Douglas Grant is managing editor of The Weekly Vista. He has been a journalist since 1987 and worked in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida.
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