Create a National Animal Abuse Registry in the United States! We've got 168,039 supporters, help us get to 170,000
Update #2 4 days ago ▾
Rhode Island has joined the list of states considering an animal abuse registry! We need to keep this issue alive until all states join in.
Update #1 18 days ago ▾
WOW!! We've already gotten over 107,000 signatures and still getting more by the hour! Thank you for your support...with any luck, our passion about animal rights will get legislators to make it a law.
About This Petition
As of January 1st, Tennessee became the first state to have an animal abuse registry. Legislators in a number of other states, including Connecticut, California, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, are also considering their own statewide registries.
Although the specifics vary between the states, the basic way that an animal abuse registry works is that anyone convicted of animal abuse would have their name, address and photograph put on a computerized list. First-time offenders would be on the list for two years and second-time offenders for five years. This list would then be available to breeders, shelters, and stores so that they can check it before sending an animal home with someone. If a merchant does not check the list before a sale or knowingly gives an animal to someone on the list, they would be held responsible.
It is wonderful that these states are taking action to help ensure that animals are kept out of known abusers' hands, but what will stop an animal abuser from traveling to a state without a registry? The only sure way to keep our animals safe is to make sure that a known abuser can't buy or adopt an animal in any state. So please sign this petition urging Congress to create a national animal abuse registry.
Stop Ignoring Shocking Cases of Animal Cruelty.
Michael Earl Hill, 32, entered a surprise guilty plea Monday to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. Hill had been scheduled for a closed door meeting about his case, but insisted on pleading guilty instead, said lawyer Ahmad Ammar.
After his release, Hill will be on probation for three years and is banned from having a pet for 25 years.
“There is no other way to describe this act; it’s a despicable act of depravity,” assistant Crown attorney Craig Houle told the court.
Denied bail last month, Hill has spent the time since his Dec. 18 arrest in solitary confinement. His lawyer says Hill has been segregated from the rest of the inmates at the South West Detention for his own protection.
Court heard Monday and at Hill’s bail hearing the history of the 13-pound dog Hill abused. Jessica Hems and Adam Esipu had given the dog to Hill on Dec. 15 to surrender to the humane society. The couple had a newborn daughter who was allergic to the seven-year-old Patterdale terrier named Nos.
Hill took $60 from the couple to cover the fee to drop off a dog at the shelter. Two days later, Hems and Esipu were subjects of an intense social media campaign aimed at finding the dog’s owners.
Dean Cresswell took to Facebook after finding the little dog in a field beside the Canadian Tire on Walker Road on Dec. 17. The humane society renamed the dog Justice and a campaign called Justice for Justice was born. By Dec. 18, Esipu was at the humane society turning Hill in.
Cresswell presented the court with a petition signed by 65,000 people calling for the maximum sentence in the case coupled with a lifetime ban on pet ownership.
Ontario court Justice Micheline Rawlins explained the maximum ban allowed by law is 25 years and that maximum sentences are reserved for “the worst offender in the worst circumstances.” Hill has no previous convictions for animal abuse.
He does have a long record that includes convictions for robberies and domestic assault. He was paroled in 2009 after being convicted in 2005 of two counts of assault with a weapon. He breached his parole in 2010 and was jailed again. He’s been free since 2011.
He had been living in Kingston until five months ago. The mother of his child has family in Essex County, so she helped him find work at a local landscaping and snow removal company owned by Esipu’s father.
Fred Doughty said he worked with Hill. He and the Esipu family helped Hill settle in the area, finding Hill a place to live in Amherstburg with another co-worker.
“It’s a family business. We’re all family. We treated him like family. For him to do this…” Doughty said outside the courtroom, cutting off his sentence as tears of anger swelled in his eyes.
Moments earlier, Doughty had stormed out of the courtroom after swearing at Hill. Despite the judge warning the packed courtroom outbursts would not be tolerated, Doughty said he could not restrain himself.
Rawlins told the packed courtroom she has a dog given away by its previous owners because of allergies, too.
“Is an animal’s life only worth $60?” she asked.
Rawlins ordered Hill to get psychological counselling. “People who become serial killers begin with small animals,” she said.
Hill is also prohibited from possessing weapons during his probation and he must provide a blood sample for the national DNA databank police use to solve crime. He was also ordered to pay a mandatory $200 fine that goes into a fund to help victims of crime.
In a similar local animal abuse case, a Belle River man in 2014 was sentenced to four months in jail after a dog in his care died after he taped its muzzle shut.
Stop Releasing Animal Cruelty Convicts From Jail Early.
Rhode Island has joined the list of states considering an animal abuse registry! We need to keep this issue alive until all states join in.
Update #1 18 days ago ▾
WOW!! We've already gotten over 107,000 signatures and still getting more by the hour! Thank you for your support...with any luck, our passion about animal rights will get legislators to make it a law.
About This Petition
As of January 1st, Tennessee became the first state to have an animal abuse registry. Legislators in a number of other states, including Connecticut, California, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, are also considering their own statewide registries.
Although the specifics vary between the states, the basic way that an animal abuse registry works is that anyone convicted of animal abuse would have their name, address and photograph put on a computerized list. First-time offenders would be on the list for two years and second-time offenders for five years. This list would then be available to breeders, shelters, and stores so that they can check it before sending an animal home with someone. If a merchant does not check the list before a sale or knowingly gives an animal to someone on the list, they would be held responsible.
It is wonderful that these states are taking action to help ensure that animals are kept out of known abusers' hands, but what will stop an animal abuser from traveling to a state without a registry? The only sure way to keep our animals safe is to make sure that a known abuser can't buy or adopt an animal in any state. So please sign this petition urging Congress to create a national animal abuse registry.
Stop Ignoring Shocking Cases of Animal Cruelty.
Target: Louise Rivera, Mayor of Tamuning, Guam
Goal: Start punishing alleged animal abusers after dogs were found with a gunshot wound to the face and a knife in the skull.
After the Wise Owl Animal Care clinic in Guam treated a dog with a knife lodged through its skull and one with a gunshot wound to its face in a single week, they became concerned about the alarming rise in animal cruelty cases. The animal hospital’s general manager tried reaching out to officials with no luck. According to outlets, Ron Weinberg, the assistant attorney general, who’s reportedly seen pictures of the dog, admitted that unless a veterinarian or licensee is responsible for the abuse, the cases aren’t even addressed by the Guam Board of Allied Health Examiners.
Despite trying to bring up the issue of extreme animal cruelty at a meeting last month, Weinberg told reporters that Wise Owl manager Benjamin Schiff’s concerns should’ve been put in writing in advance so they could be worked into the agenda. It seems clear that Guam doesn’t take animal cruelty seriously and will stop at nothing to avoid addressing the issue. Perhaps if they bothered to prosecute the criminals who committed these alleged heinous acts, it wouldn’t be such a growing problem. Demand that Guam start enforcing animal cruelty laws and prosecuting accordingly.
Dear Mayor Rivera,
You reportedly choose to blatantly ignore the fact that animal cruelty in the area is becoming worse. Even after animal clinic workers had to remove a knife from the skull of one dog and save a dog with a bullet wound to the face, no change occurred. The general manager of the clinic attempted to address the concerns with the city,they ignored his concerns over a technicality.
It’s a shame that the lives of innocent animals aren’t any more important than this. We demand that you start taking every single animal cruelty report seriously and start enforcing proper punishment for the cruel monsters who commit such heinous acts.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Maik
Man who taped up dog, leaving it to die, gets two years. A man who taped a dog’s muzzle shut, bound its legs and and left it to die in a field will spend the next two years in a federal penitentiary.Michael Earl Hill, 32, entered a surprise guilty plea Monday to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. Hill had been scheduled for a closed door meeting about his case, but insisted on pleading guilty instead, said lawyer Ahmad Ammar.
After his release, Hill will be on probation for three years and is banned from having a pet for 25 years.
“There is no other way to describe this act; it’s a despicable act of depravity,” assistant Crown attorney Craig Houle told the court.
Denied bail last month, Hill has spent the time since his Dec. 18 arrest in solitary confinement. His lawyer says Hill has been segregated from the rest of the inmates at the South West Detention for his own protection.
Court heard Monday and at Hill’s bail hearing the history of the 13-pound dog Hill abused. Jessica Hems and Adam Esipu had given the dog to Hill on Dec. 15 to surrender to the humane society. The couple had a newborn daughter who was allergic to the seven-year-old Patterdale terrier named Nos.
Hill took $60 from the couple to cover the fee to drop off a dog at the shelter. Two days later, Hems and Esipu were subjects of an intense social media campaign aimed at finding the dog’s owners.
Cresswell presented the court with a petition signed by 65,000 people calling for the maximum sentence in the case coupled with a lifetime ban on pet ownership.
Ontario court Justice Micheline Rawlins explained the maximum ban allowed by law is 25 years and that maximum sentences are reserved for “the worst offender in the worst circumstances.” Hill has no previous convictions for animal abuse.
He does have a long record that includes convictions for robberies and domestic assault. He was paroled in 2009 after being convicted in 2005 of two counts of assault with a weapon. He breached his parole in 2010 and was jailed again. He’s been free since 2011.
Fred Doughty said he worked with Hill. He and the Esipu family helped Hill settle in the area, finding Hill a place to live in Amherstburg with another co-worker.
“It’s a family business. We’re all family. We treated him like family. For him to do this…” Doughty said outside the courtroom, cutting off his sentence as tears of anger swelled in his eyes.
Moments earlier, Doughty had stormed out of the courtroom after swearing at Hill. Despite the judge warning the packed courtroom outbursts would not be tolerated, Doughty said he could not restrain himself.
“Is an animal’s life only worth $60?” she asked.
Rawlins ordered Hill to get psychological counselling. “People who become serial killers begin with small animals,” she said.
Hill is also prohibited from possessing weapons during his probation and he must provide a blood sample for the national DNA databank police use to solve crime. He was also ordered to pay a mandatory $200 fine that goes into a fund to help victims of crime.
In a similar local animal abuse case, a Belle River man in 2014 was sentenced to four months in jail after a dog in his care died after he taped its muzzle shut.
Stop Releasing Animal Cruelty Convicts From Jail Early.
Target: Kip Thomas, Madison County Sheriff
Goal: Force animal cruelty convict to serve his full jail sentence instead of releasing him because of overcrowding.
A man who was convicted on animal cruelty charges was released early due to overcrowding. According to the sheriff, they chose to release some who they considered “non-violent” offenders from jail and they won’t have to return and serve the rest of their sentence.
He was sentenced after being caught with a cow cruelly strapped down to a flat-bed trailer in a “spread-eagle” position. Justice was hardly served to begin with as the convict was only given a 10-day sentence combined with some fines and an order to volunteer 100 hours at an animal shelter where more animals can be put at risk.
Animal cruelty is violence and there’s been enough evidence to show that animal abusers are often dangerous members to the entire society. It’s even more risky to release him after only giving him a slap on the wrist. It seems the lives of innocent animals aren’t important to Madison county. Sign this petition and demand that people convicted of animal cruelty are not released early.
Dear Mr. Thomas,
We are disappointed to learn that a man convicted of animal cruelty was released from jail early and will not have to serve his minor 10-day jail term. You stated that the jail was overcrowded, so those considered non-violent offenders got released early.
It seems the fact that people who commit cruelty towards animals are often significantly more dangerous members of society has been ignored in this case. This man harmed innocent animals and that should be considered a violent offender. We demand that you stop downplaying the lives of animals and start serving justice when it’s deserved.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Animal People Forum
Punish Couple for Allegedly Murdering Family Member’s Dogs.
Target: Florida Attorney General, Pam Bondi
Goal: Prosecute couple who reportedly confessed to brutally murdering family member’s dogs.
A couple brutally murdered a man’s dogs and buried them in his backyard, according to reports. The Palm Springs resident returned home in early January to find his dogs missing and immediately began asking around for his pets. What he didn’t expect to find out two days later was that his daughter and her boyfriend, 19-year-old Kyle Santos, had taken their lives.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office told the local news that Santos and his girlfriend hatched the plan while at the owner’s house. The couple wanted to get rid of the dogs, and decided they would shoot the two Chihuahuas and bury them outside. The dog owner’s daughter agreed to the plan, but had a change of heart after Santos placed the dogs in the hole he had dug. She then ran back to the house when she heard the gunshots, but later returned to help him bury the dogs.
She told police that she heard one of the Chihuahuas whimpering even after the shooting had stopped. To quiet the dog, Santos used the shovel to beat the one that had not died immediately. When asked about it Santos told her that he hit the dog “because he was still moving.” The necropsy report conducted by law enforcement later confirmed the couples’ story that the dogs had been shot.
Sign this petition to ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted and that the couple is punished for their brutal actions. To allow such vile behavior to go unchecked will only create room for even more cruel acts against animals in Florida.
Dear Florida Attorney General Bondi,
It recently came to my attention that the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is handling an especially brutal case of animal cruelty. In this instance, a couple hatched and executed plans to kill the dogs of the girlfriend’s father. Not only did the couple shoot and bury the dogs but when one failed to stop moving, the boyfriend, 19-year-old Kyle Santos, proceeded to beat the dog to death with a shovel.
It then took two days before the couple came clean to the girl’s father and admitted to their brutal actions. Since then, law enforcement has been investigating the incident. During this time, the couple confessed their actions to the police in gruesome detail. A necropsy was also conducted which confirmed the couple’s story.
Florida is gradually gaining a reputation for a disregard of animal rights and safety. This is evident even in the focus of your office as detailed on your website, which includes health care, illicit drugs, fraud, and oil spills, but makes no mention of animal cruelty.
While I understand your office cannot focus on all pressing issues in Florida, I believe this is one that deserves special attention. With this in mind, I urge you to ensure a full investigation is conducted and that this couple receives due punishment for their brutal actions.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: MsSaraKelly
Justice for Abandoned Dog Killed by Car Outside Shelter.
Target: Andrew S. Robinson, Lewiston District Attorney
Goal: Punish owner of abandoned dog to the fullest extent of the law.
The owner of a yellow Labrador retriever mix purposefully abandoned her pet outside of an animal shelter in Maine after it was closed. Video surveillance of the woman shows her opening the back door to her van, letting the dog out and simply driving away.
Not only did she leave him outside in the Maine cold, but she left him without any kind of cage or kennel and also left him untied. She mostly likely saw him run after her car, yet she never stopsp. After chasing his owner, the dog was struck by another vehicle and left dead on the side of the road.
This death was unnecessary and avoidable. People that exhibit this type of behavior should not be permitted to adopt pets, because it gives them the opportunity to abuse, neglect or abandon them. By publicly punishing this former owner, she will hopefully learn her lesson and her case will set an example for those that are deliberating similar cruel acts.
The negligent behavior displayed by the owner calls for immediate indictment on animal cruelty charges. By signing this petition, you will be encouraging the district attorney to seek the maximum punishment for the heartless owner.
Dear District Attorney Robinson,
As you are aware, the owner of a Labrador retriever mix drove to an animal shelter after hours and dumped her dog on the doorstep. After grossly disregarding what could happen to her pet, she drove away and the dog followed her car, as any loyal dog would. Later on, this poor dog was found dead, having been fatally hit by a car and left on the side of the road.
This tragic situation could easily have been avoided had the owner dropped her pet off during the shelter’s operating hours. This action shows a complete lack of compassion or sympathy toward animals. That dog likely trusted his owner and felt loyalty toward her, which is why he went running after her when she drove away with him in her rear view mirror.
This kind of behavior warrants a mental evaluation as well as a proper punishment for recklessly abandoning and endangering her pet, whom was her responsibility. I urge you to pursue this case with vigor and seek justice for the pet dog that was so carelessly deserted by his owner. This death was completely and totally unnecessary. Please work to give the owner a proper and full punishment so that in the future we can hope this type of behavior is deterred.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Mzelle Laure
Justice for Dog Shot While Protecting Owners.
Target: David J. O’Leary, Rock County Wisconsin District Attorney
Goal: Charge alleged would-be robber with animal cruelty for shooting dog during commission of a crime.
While protecting his owners during an alleged home invasion, three-legged Levi was shot by the intruder. According to Darcy Cherry and her boyfriend Bob Stenzel, the intruder drew his gun and demanded they get on the ground and tell him where they keep the safe and money. Cherry tells interviewers that she feared for their lives. They don’t have a safe and keep very little money in the house.
With Levi barking at the intruder, the couple got on the ground, hoping to appease the man and thwart the attempted robbery. Cherry indicates that not more than a minute later, the intruder shot Levi. According to veterinarian reports, the bullet grazed Levi’s head and lodged in his shoulder. He is expected to make a full recovery, but the family remains traumatized by the event and police have yet to locate the suspect.
Demand this would-be robber is charged with animal cruelty in addition to the home invasion charges once he is found.
Dear Attorney O’Leary,
A local couple reports their dog was shot during an attempted robbery. The suspect broke into their home, demanding they get on the ground and tell him where they keep the safe and money. Darcy Cherry and her boyfriend indicate they don’t have a safe and keep little money in the house, but got on the ground hoping to calm the situation.
According to police reports, moments later the would-be robber shot the family dog, Levi, and left without taking anything of financial value. Levi lost one leg years ago during a hiking accident protecting Cherry’s son. Vet reports indicate that the bullet grazed Levi’s head and lodged in his shoulder. Although he is expected to make a full recovery, the man who shot him deserves punishment.
We demand the suspect is charged with animal cruelty in addition to home invasion charges.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Timothy Krause
Punish Person For Reportedly Allowing Six Pitbulls to Run Into Traffic.
Target: Tony Rackauckas, Orange County District Attorney
Goal: Seek prosecution to the fullest extent of the law for continuous dog abuser.
A dog owner, who allegedly allowed her six pit bulls to run out into the middle of traffic, was arrested after a police chase on a California freeway. This blatant indifference for the safety of her many dogs demonstrates her apparent carelessness and apathetic attitude toward the protection and management of her pets.
Not surprisingly, this is not the first time the person in question has reportedly neglected caring for her dogs. She has previous charges of improper care of pets, including a pit bull with an exposed bone, several untreated lesions, and a missing foot-it had been revealed that her dog had chewed off his own leg. Obviously, these afflictions are not common for dogs that are well cared for.
The perpetrator has subsequently been banned from caring for pets due to her history, but we want to make sure that justice is served for all the animals that have suffered by her doing. It is not enough that future pets will be spared-we must make sure that animals are regarded as living, dignified beings that deserve our respect. By signing this petition, you will be urging the Orange County District Attorney to pursue her animal abuse charges to the fullest extent of the law.
Dear District Attorney Rackauckas,
I am writing to you to express my deep disappointment in the woman, Tiffini Tobe, who allegedly allowed her six dogs to run out in the middle of traffic after having been pulled over by patrol officers. Although this woman appears to have many issues, a recurring offense on her record is pet abuse and neglect.
Prior to this alleged dramatic display of disregard for her pets’ safety on a freeway with many fast-moving vehicles, this woman has been charged with animal neglect including a pit bull with an exposed bone, many untreated lesions and a missing foot. It had subsequently been discovered that her dog chewed off his own leg.
I demand that you urge a sentence to the fullest extent of the law for this animal abuser so that she pays the price for careless animal abuse and serves as an example for those who challenge animal cruelty laws. Please consider how her negligent behavior has unnecessarily affected the health of more than six dogs and seek complete justice for the dogs affected by her.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Mariordo
Justice for 80 Animals Kept in Horrifying Conditions.
Target: Alpena County Prosecutor K. Edward Black
Goal: Pursue a harsh sentence for Alpena resident found guilty of animal cruelty charges involving 80 animals kept on her farm.
The Alpena County woman accused of hoarding 80 animals on her premises in terrible conditions pled guilty to the charges meted against her. The local sheriff’s deputies in Alpena, Michigan report that at the time of the search, they found 30 dogs running loose in the home. There was also a small shack of horses, pigs and donkeys. Alongside these animals were ducks, chickens, turkeys, rabbits and several birds.
Though housed indoors, the dogs were so poorly kept and groomed that their fur was matted with feces, and their paws had become stuck together from walking in filth. The horses showed signs of being kept inside for too long and did not receive proper exercise. The hooves of donkeys on the property also showed that they had not been trimmed in months as they had begun to curl.
The Humane Society of Alpena took in the 30 dogs found and have provided necessary treatment, including proper grooming, feeding, and healthcare. The livestock animals were taken by other farms in the area where people volunteered to help nurse them back to health. Unfortunately two horses, a donkey and one of the dogs had to be euthanized. The responsible owner, Debra Lewandowski, is expected to receive sentencing in March.
We may never come to understand what causes a person to hoard animals, but the practice cannot be tolerated. It endangers the health and lives of animals, as well as any other children and adults who may reside in the home. Sign this petition to ensure Lewandowski receives an appropriate punishment to match the high count of animals she endangered.
Dear Mr. Black,
Thank you for the measures you took to ensure the animals found on Debra Lewandowski’s property received the best care as soon as possible. Your efforts have ensured that many of them will likely be placed in new homes in the near future. I also commend you for the strict approach you have taken toward ensuring Lewandowski is punished for her animal cruelty, and I hope this will continue into the sentencing.
As you are aware, the animals on the property suffered under severe and sickening conditions. There were dogs with matted fur covered in feces, horses and pigs stabled together without adequate room, and donkeys with hooves that had not been trimmed in months. As a result of Lewandowski’s negligence and cruelty, two horses, a donkey and one dog had to be euthanized.
I urge you to issue a sentence that truly accounts for the wrongs done to all these animals and the cost other individuals and organizations must now bear to care for them. Sadly, animal hoarding in America has become a serious problem. Each year, more than a quarter of a million pets and livestock become victims of this kind of behavior. Show your stance on this crime by pursuing a high sentence to Debra Lewandowski.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Lori Stephan
Don’t Let Man Accused of Neglecting 600 Animals Get Away on Littering Fine.
Target: Judge Pro Tem Lon Bryan
Goal: Stop dismissing animal cruelty charges for a $1 littering fine and enforce fair animal cruelty punishment.
Daniel Garonzik was charged with animal cruelty after he was reportedly found living inside a storefront with 632 animals, some of which animal control officers say had no access to water and food. He claimed he was starting a business selling mice. The remains of 78 dead mice were allegedly found inside the storefront by police and animal control officers who seized the living animals. Among the seized animals were 541 live mice, 29 rats, four turtles, five snakes, 15 hamsters, 15 guinea pigs, two hedgehogs, two snakes, an alligator that measured one foot long, three crabs, seven lizards, seven birds, and a frog.
The animal cruelty charge is a class A misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to a year in prison. However, Garonzik was reportedly given a plea deal where the judge exchanged his cruelty charge for a measly littering charge, allowing him to get away with this sick act. He was allegedly ordered to pay $133 in court costs, but only $1 for 632 innocent lives. Sadly, it’s common for animal cruelty charges to be dismissed as littering because people think of them as trash to throw away when they’re no longer wanted. This is not a punishment and it shows how meaningless 632 innocent lives are to the seemingly unethical judge.
It’s sick that people force innocent animals to suffer just to make money. He made himself responsible for each life, including the 78 who allegedly died on account of him and he deserved to be punished for it. Demand the judge stop allowing these terrible injustices and enforce fair animal cruelty laws.
Dear Judge Bryan,
A man was charged with animal cruelty when officers allegedly found 78 dead mice and 632 live animals –some with no access to food and water, according to officers–living with him in a storefront. You reportedly dismissed the cruelty charge for a littering charge, which is a terrible injustice.
It’s appalling hundreds of innocent lives are only worth a $1 littering fine. We demand that fair animal cruelty punishments be enforced immediately.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Tatiana Bulyonkova
Relocate Neglected Animals from Zoo to Sanctuary.
Target: Wang Xuguang, Executive Director and CEO of Haichang Ocean Park
Goal: Move neglected animals from barren, unstimulating zoo exhibits to accredited sanctuary.
A number of animals are currently being held in exhibits that are barren and painted a bright, artificial blue, and dark except for flashes from the visitors’ cameras. The Grandview Aquarium is a zoo located inside a mall in Guangzhou, China. The zoo currently holds a whale shark, a group of Arctic foxes, a wolf, two polar-brown bear hybrids, six belugas and five walruses.
If nothing is done, these animals will never see the sun again. Instead they will live their lives within these blue walls while tourists bang on the glass in hopes the animals will do something that interests them. Sign this petition and demand these animals be brought to an accredited sanctuary where they can live out the rest of their days happily.
Dear Mr. Xuguang,
The Grandview Aquarium is a new exhibit that has opened up inside a mall in Guangzhou, China. The zoo which is run by your company holds all its animals in barren rooms painted a bright, artificial blue. The animals, including but not limited to belugas, bears, walruses and foxes, have little to no enrichment in their rooms and are forced to listen to the bangs on the glass from the visitors.
These animals belong in a sanctuary where they can live their lives in a natural environment among friends. If these animals continue living in this zoo, they will never see sunlight again. Animals are not objects and should not be used for profit. They are living, breathing beings who form attachments and have feelings.
Please consider moving these animals to an accredited sanctuary. They deserve a happy life among friends.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Animals Asia
Properly Punish Man Arrested for Starving Dogs to Death.
Target: Tennessee Attorney General, Herbert H. Slatery III
Goal: Prosecute man arrested for starving his dogs to death, to the fullest extent of the law.
Memphis law enforcement arrested a man they say starved his dogs in cages, which ultimately led to the deaths of two of them. One of the dogs died before the arrest was made. Police found him wrapped in a plastic bag behind the residence. Two others were found locked in cages without any food or water, one of which had to be euthanized. An autopsy of the deceased pet showed that the dog had not eaten or drank for quite some time.
Police received a call to the North Memphis home after someone on the premises realized that three dogs were living in the backyard. They became concerned about the animals’ health, due to the living conditions they were forced to endure. The two surviving dogs at the time were rushed to Memphis Animal Services where one had to be put down because he had grown aggressive. The only surviving dog was taken by a local rescue group and is now receiving treatment.
Investigations later found that all three dogs belong to the arrested man. The police charged him for animal cruelty, and he served a brief amount of time in jail to pay for the terrible neglect of his pets. While overnight jail time is a good start, this kind of behavior requires more severe punishment to mete out real justice and discourage others from committing the same act.
Add your name to the petition to ensure all three dogs receive justice for the gross harm that was done to them, through a thorough investigation and prosecution of the arrested man to the fullest extent of the law.
Dear Tennessee Attorney General Slatery,
Local law enforcement in Memphis recently arrested a man after someone alerted the police to the poor living conditions of dogs in the backyard. The police found three dogs on the premises without any food or water. One of the dogs had already died and was wrapped in a bag in the yard. The other two were locked in cages.
The surviving animals were rushed to Memphis Animal Services, but one had to be put down for aggressive behavior, no doubt made worse by hunger. The other was taken in by a local animal shelter. An autopsy of the deceased dog was later done, and it showed that he had not received food or water for quite some time.
The act of starving a dog to death is not only cruel, but calls for true heartlessness on the part of the offender. What is even more disturbing is that he apparently did not feel remorse from his actions after the first dog died, or he would have given food and water to the other two that remained.
As a family man, you probably have pets in the household and can understand why this case is particularly horrible. If not, keep in mind that this kind of delinquent behavior often migrates up the food chain to become violent crimes against other men and women. With this in mind, we urge you to ensure this case is thoroughly investigated and that the man is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for his actions.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Soggydan Benenovitch
Horses Starved to Death by Veterinarian, Say Police.
Target: Jean Engler, District Attorney Carbon County, PA
Goal: Seek maximum sentence for veterinarian who allegedly starved a dozen horses, along with several other deceased animals, on his property.
A veterinarian was charged with 11 counts of animal cruelty and tampering with evidence after over a dozen starving horses and a disgusting amount of other animal remains were found strewn about his property. Dead horses were reportedly found under a mattress that had been partially burned, two dead horses under a pallet, a dead dog, goat, two sheep, and a lamb were also found in a pit.
Officers say the horses that were still alive were suffering from dehydration and starvation. The rescue group who took the emaciated horses expressed being appalled that this person dedicated his life to saving animals, yet he’s been letting his own horses suffer in one of the most painful ways a being can suffer – starvation and dehydration. Unfortunately, according to outlets, the veterinarian’s disgusting crimes were dismissed in court, but he was later ordered to pay a $500 fine for practicing under an expired veterinarian license.
It’s clear that justice wasn’t served here and that the judge must not care about animals. There’s no excuse for a veterinarian to tolerate this horrific abuse of animals. The pain and suffering they must have felt is unimaginable and stomach turning. Demand that this veterinarian be given the maximum penalty and barred from ever owning or working with animals again.
Dear Ms. Engler,
A veterinarian and his wife were charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty when authorities found over a dozen emaciated horses on their property. Officers said some of the horses were in such horrible condition that they weren’t even capable of walking.
To force your animals to starve and dehydrate to the point of emaciation is purely cruel, but coming from a veterinarian, this is just sickening. This man clearly doesn’t care about animals and has no business working with them. Please be the voice for these innocent animals and bring justice for their suffering. We demand that the veterinarian receive the maximum penalty and be banned from ever possessing animals again, if found guilty.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Stop the horror of dog racing from returning to Kansas!
Greyhound racing promoters are trying to pass legislation designed to re-open all three Kansas dog tracks!
House Bill 2537 seeks to encourage these long-closed facilities to come alive again with thousands of slot machines. Owner Phil Ruffin, a Las Vegas billionaire, would be allowed to keep as much as 68% of the profits – but only as long as he offers live dog racing. We cannot let this happen!
Greyhound racing has killed and injured thousands of dogs nationwide in only the past few years. Tell Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and the state legislature not to let it back in the state.
Commercial greyhound racing began in Kansas in 1989 with the opening of Wichita Greyhound Park and The Woodlands. A third track, Camptown, opened in 1995 but closed just six months later. All three facilities experienced catastrophic financial losses and thankfully, live dog racing ended with the shutdown of The Woodlands in 2008.
But the dogs paid the price until the very end. In the last six-month season of racing, eighty dogs suffered broken legs and backs and other injures. A total of nineteen dogs were killed.
Greyhound racing is a dying industry, illegal in 39 states. Greyhound racing proved to be a bad experiment for Kansas, with a 95% decline in gambling forcing the facilities to close. It makes little sense to bring this industry back.
And slot machine subsidies are anti free-market and do not work. This idea has been tried in multiple other states and failed. The state of Iowa was losing $14 million a year promoting greyhound racing, and today West Virginia, which also subsidizes the industry, has seen attendance levels drop by as much as 99%. The tracks in Florida lose a total of $35 million a year on dog racing, because wagering has declined by almost 100% in the last remaining big dog racing state!
The dogs lose, too. Since 2008, the year that dog racing ended in Kansas, over 12,000 greyhound injuries were reported in other states, including broken backs and legs, spinal cord paralysis and death by cardiac arrest.
Now is not the time to bring back this cruelty to our state.
Repeal the law requiring Florida gambling facilities to engage in the cruel sport of greyhound racing.
More than half of the greyhound races held in the US are in the state of Florida. Over the past twenty months, 202 greyhounds have died at Florida racetracks -- some had their necks broken, some died of heat stroke, and still others were electrocuted to death. I’ve spent decades working to bring racing dogs back to health after they have been subjected to horrifying treatment like being kept in cramped, solitary cages for twenty or more hours a day, and even being dosed with illegal drugs like cocaine.
Here’s the thing: Florida gambling facilities don’t even want to hold greyhound races in the first place -- but they’re required to by a state law that mandates dog racing. If this harmful state dog racing mandate is repealed, greyhound racing will slowly phase out and end in the Sunshine State.
I’ve spent 20 years working to help injured, worn-out greyhounds rescued from the racing industry. Adoption groups like mine are doing all we can, but there are constantly more of these amazing animals who need help than we are ever able to bring back to health. Until this law changes, we’re facing an unwinnable battle.
Tell the Florida legislature that it’s time to repeal the law that requires gambling facilities to operate the cruel sport of greyhound racing.
There is no reason for this animal cruelty to continue, especially when the businesses operating the race tracks don’t want to keep them going in the first place. Greyhound racing hasn’t been profitable in Florida for years. Last year alone, Florida tracks lost $35 million holding greyhound races. Even the state is losing money on dog racing, because it costs of regulating the races exceeds revenues.
The state dog racing mandate is a loser for everyone. The tracks are losing money, taxpayers are taking a loss, and the greyhounds are losing their lives.
Justice for Chunky - stop people who abuse animals from owning ever again.
This petition is for Chunky the Chihuahua who was attacked for hours in one of the most disturbing cases of animal abuse seen by the RSPCA. Myself an animal lover found this story highly upsetting and I decided that chunky needed justice. What I'm asking for is signatures for Chunky who was over a period of hours was beaten, drugged, his neck was broken, he was started on fire and finally dumped and left for dead. However chunky survived and defied all odds.
Please give chunky the justice he deserves. What I'm asking for is that anyone who abuses animals, regardless of their age should never be allowed to own an animal again. These offenders should then be placed on a Animal Cruelty Register, which would follow them around for life. Animal abuse is serious, and the laws must change. The teens who committed this atrocity, were banned from keeping animals for five years. This is not sufficient, our legal system should ban these kids or anyone who commits crimes against animals from owning animals ever again!!
Please sign this petition to help dogs like Chunky. Telegraph article about chunky: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/12015100/RSPCA-Chunky-the-Chihuahua-set-on-fire-and-fed-drugs.html Why we need an animal abuse register in the UK: http://www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk/features/Why-We-Need-Animal-Abuser-Registry More on chunky - recent news article from ITV news http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/story/2015-11-25/chunky-the-dog-set-on-fire-and-fed-drugs-is-safely-back-with-owners/
Is this a partial victory? North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale is set to raise it in Parliament after a petition calling for tougher laws on animal abuse was signed by more than 350,000 people!! Way to go #JusticeforChunky supporters!!
Hunter Shoots Family Dog For ‘Interfering With His Hunt,’ Say Police.
Target: Michigan Attorney General, Bill Schuette
Goal: Prosecute man facing a felony charge for shooting a family dog to the fullest extent of the law.
A man identified as Tyler McKeon has been charged with shooting one family’s dog. After hearing the shots, the Pickvets found their beloved pet, Tippy, dead in a wooded area near their farm. Shortly afterward, a member of the family noticed McKeon walking toward the road and asked if he had shot her dog. The man denied the accusation but then “flipped them off” as he drove away. Police later charged him with one count of torturing or killing an animal, which is a felony.
When law enforcement questioned McKeon about the incident, he reportedly confessed to shooting the dog. He also claimed that he had previously spoken with the Pickvet family about their dogs, and that he had reported Tippy to animal services before. Court documents show that neither of these statements were true.
The Pickvet family denied having any such conversation, and records at the local Animal Control showed no documentation of calls from McKeon. He then hired a lawyer and took a new approach to the case, claiming that he had shot the dog by accident. However, police reports on the day state that there was clear weather, sunny skies and high visibility.
Help ensure McKeon receives the punishment he deserves by signing the petition. McKeon has already proven to be dishonest and disrespectful and cannot be trusted. A man who would commit such a senseless act because a dog was in his hunting blind is heartless.
Dear Attorney General Schuette,
Police recently responded to reports from a local family that their dog had been shot and killed near their property. The couple had confronted the man they felt was responsible, but he denied the accusations. However, after reportedly “flipping them off” as he drove away, the family grew more suspicious. Law enforcement was able to identify the man as Tyler McKeon and later charged him with one count of torturing or killing an animal.
In spite of his previous denials, he had admitted to the police that he shot the dog. He also disclosed that the dog had been in his hunting blind and interrupted his shooting. He added that he had spoken to the family about their dog’s behavior in the past and that he had even reported the dog to the Bay County Animal control. No such records exist at the animal control and the family denies the conversation happened.
McKeon has since hired a lawyer and changed tactics. He now insists that the shooting was an accident. However, court records show the unlikelihood of this as police reported that the day was sunny and clear with high visibility.
We urge you to ensure a thorough investigation is done and that if found guilty, Tyler McKeon is punished to the fullest extent of the law. This is not the only incidence of animal cruelty in Michigan since the start of the year. Show Michigan’s stance on animal rights by helping the Pickvet family to get justice for their murdered pet.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Pickvets family
Justice for Cat Burned With Boiling Water.
Target: Chief Mark Holtzman, Greenville, North Carolina Police Department
Goal: Find and punish man who allegedly poured boiling water on an innocent cat.
A cat recently suffered severe burns when a man reportedly poured boiling water on it. In a Facebook video post, which has since sparked viral outrage, a man is seen at his stove bringing a pot of water to a rolling boil before bringing it over to his window. He then proceeds to pour the water through the open window onto a cat sitting beside it looking for attention. The spotted cat is then seen yowling and running frantically away from the man, who yells obscenities at it.
According to the Greenville, North Carolina Police Department, hundreds of calls flooded in about the video. While it was deleted along with the man’s entire Facebook account, investigators were able to identify the poster. Currently, they are working to verify the integrity of the video, and with the help of local animal activists, locate the injured cat. Should the video be found to be authentic, the man who threw the water could face felony animal cruelty charges and up to two years in prison.
This crime displays shocking malice, and the fact that the man allegedly posted it on a social media website shows a lack of recognition of the seriousness of his cruelty. In order to bring justice for this poor cat, it is imperative that the person responsible is found and reprimanded. Sign the petition below to demand that the man seen pouring boiling water on a cat is punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Dear Chief Holtzman,
A cat was recently attacked by a man who saw it outside his window and allegedly poured boiling water on it. Instead of shooing the spotted cat away, the man brutally burned the cat and yelled obscenities at it. The cat, which was seen on a Facebook video yelping in pain and frantically trying to escape the man’s yard, has not yet been found.
The man responsible showed unspeakable cruelty and a clear lack of remorse in his reported posting of the attack to social media. In order to ensure that this man does not get another chance to harm animals or humans, it is imperative that he is found and imprisoned. We, the undersigned, ask that you seek the maximum possible punishment against this cruel offender.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Gaurav Pandit
Stop Euthanizing Dogs by Gunshot.
Target: City of Bristow Mayor Leonard Washington
Goal: End practice of euthanizing stray dogs by shooting them.
Oklahoma residents recently discovered that an animal shelter in Bristow euthanizes dogs by shooting them. The mayor of the town confirmed the allegations and added that three dogs had been shot to death that past week. He informed the public that the practice was legal under the state’s law which says that any shelter with a population of fewer than 10 thousand animals can “destroy unclaimed animals in a humane, acceptable way.” The issue is that the law does not specify humane practices.
Residents of Bristow, Oklahoma have attempted to protest the issue and tried to force the government to change its policy but have seen no success. The residents turned to social media and several petition websites in order to get the word out. They’ve asked the government to hire a veterinarian to euthanize the animals via an intravenous injection. Sign the petition below to urge the mayor of Bristow to hire veterinarians and end the practice of shooting stray dogs.
Dear Mayor Washington,
Recently it has come to light that an animal shelter in the city of Bristow shoots stray dogs as a form of euthanasia. Such an act is appalling and inhumane. Oklahoma law dictates that municipalities with a population of fewer than 10 thousand animals can “destroy unclaimed animals in a humane, acceptable way.” The humane method of euthanasia is via an intravenous injection. The drug used is sodium pentobarbital, which puts the animal to sleep in a peaceful manner. There is nothing peaceful about shooting dogs, and I can’t begin to imagine the emotional toll it must take on the authority dictated to shoot the dogs.
Many residents of Bristow have attempted to protest the matter by reaching out to government officials such as yourself. They have hit road block after road block and finally had to turn to social media in hopes of spreading the word. Residents are willing to collaborate with the city of Bristow in hopes of hiring veterinarians to euthanize the animals humanely. They have expressed their willingness to keep the tax-payer funded shelters open. The support is present, it just needs to be acted upon. No matter how long an animal is left in a shelter, it must not be murdered with a gunshot. I demand that you hire veterinarians for the animal shelters.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Gerry Broome
Baby Kangaroos Run Over and Left to Die Deserve Justice.
Target: Andrew Colvin, Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police
Goal: Find and prosecute person who is thought to have left 17 kangaroos to painfully die after running them over.
Seventeen kangaroos were heartlessly run over by an unknown driver, according to authorities. We need to take action to better ensure that this apparently sick individual is caught in order to better ensure that other animals will remain safe.
The RSPCA (Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) said that most of the animals killed near Brisbane, Australia were baby kangaroos. Authorities also found evidence of tire tracks going toward the grass, an indicator that whoever committed this act did so purposely.
The person who did this is likely dangerous and further capable of hurting other animals. Studies have even found that many people who commit heinous crimes against animals also go on to commit other disgusting acts against people, including innocent children.
Additionally, kangaroos eat dry grass making it less likely that a bushfire will ignite. Therefore, killing these animals is not only cruel, but doing so can also potentially cause a great amount of harm to the environment.
Demand officials do everything possible to find whoever committed this thoughtless crime and that they further suggest that this individual receive the maximum punishment under law. Animals do not deserve to be killed simply because they exist.
Dear Commissioner Colvin,
A person is thought to have killed 17 kangaroos by running them over. It is important that this person is found and prosecuted in order to better ensure that other animals will be safe in the future.
According to the RSPCA, most of the animals killed were young joeys. It is likely that the animals were killed on purpose, as tire tracks were seen to veer off in the direction of the grass where the animals were dwelling.
If a person is capable of committing such a hateful act, he is likely also capable of hurting other innocent animals. In addition, many people who commit unthinkable crimes against animals are also later arrested for committing unfathomable crimes against human beings.
Furthermore, because kangaroos eat dry grass, they help ensure that less bushfires will occur. Killing 17 kangaroos therefore also has the potential to indirectly harm the environment since the deceased animals are no longer able to perform this task.
For these reasons, I encourage you to keep this case open and to further suggest that whoever did this receive the harshest legal sentence under law if the person is caught. These animals were standing on the road minding their own business; they did not deserve to be run down in cold blood.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Russavia
