Finally, Animal Cruelty is Rewarded with Jail Time

A Staten Island man was sentenced to 300 days in jail Friday on animal cruelty charges for inflicting serious injuries on a dog that resulted in the animal’s death.

I don’t have statistics, but it is common knowledge that animal abuse, even the killing of innocent animals, rarely results in jail or prison time.  It’s a problem in our society – many of us truly care about animal welfare, but not enough of us are putting pressure on legislatures and law enforcement agencies to do what they should: enact strong laws and enforce them.

Information about the conviction and sentencing of Nicholas Piccolino can be found here.

The Sickening and Inhumane Specter of Puppy Mills

“Animal people” like us are avowed enemies of puppy mills, which are just horror shows that represent animal cruelty by  definition. We need NATIONAL legislation to outlaw these criminal enterprises, but sadly, few of our “representatives” in Congress give a damn about animals.

Still, if you’re a skeptic and you think this is an overblown crisis, read this Rolling Stone piece.  And then tell me these places are ok.  You can’t.

Here’s but one quote: “Here were the parent dogs in desperate shape: blinded by cataracts and corneal ulcers; their jaws half-gone or missing entirely after their teeth had rotted away.  Some were so feeble they couldn’t stand erect; their paws were urine-scalded and their wrists were deformed from squatting on wire their entire lives.”

DON’T buy from breeders. Go to your local shelter and ADOPT.  When you buy from a puppy mill or cat breeder you are literally supporting animal cruelty.

 

NJ Could Use HSUS’s Humane State Program!

HSUS has, by all accounts, a very thoughtful and effective communications program, Humane Statethat trains law enforcement, including prosecutors, judges, officers, and others, along with the shelter/rescue community to combat animal crimes and strengthen the shelters.  It’s really a road show that they’ve taken to several states and Puerto Rico.

Seems to me that New Jersey badly needs this kind of program.

Frustratingly, HSUS has no contact information for this program or for general requests, but its phone numbers are:

202-452-1100, or 866-720-2676, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m ET

Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET

 

Joy, from a Tragedy

A tragic event led to this story:  On May 10, Mia, a 13 year old girl from Cranbury, New Jersey was walking her dog and was hit by a car, and the driver callously and illegally fled the scene.  The girl was seriously injured and her dog was killed instantly.  According to The Woodbridge Patch, witnesses said that the pup, named Panda, absorbed most of the impact from the car, and likely saved Mia’s life.

But on July 3rd, members of the Cranbury Fraternal Order of Police presented Mia and her family with a puppy, much to their joy!  You can see it here in the Patch.

I hope the dog was adopted from a local shelter.  Virtually everywhere in New Jersey, shelter animals are the most at risk on account of overcrowded conditions, and are deserving of loving, forever homes.

ADOPT, don’t shop!  And spay and neuter your houshold pets!  It’s the only was we’re going to end the endless slaughter of innocent animals.

Yet Another Hoarding in New Jersey – Following Many Others

I don’t know if animal hoarding is more or less frequent in New Jersey than in other states, and I’m going to research that.  It is distrubing, however, and the animals suffer terribly — and many times, die a terrible death.  Oftentimes the properties where the animals are, are caked with excrement and filth to the point at which rescuers have to wear hazmat suits.  I’m going to talk to some experts for a future post, and in the meantime, here is the story of the latest hoarding tragedy.

Sadly, this is just the latest instance of hoarding, and NJ.COM has a summary of recent NJ caes here.

Is the NJSPCA Really Helping Animals?

There’s a lot of controversy swirling around the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NJSPCA) these days, much of which began last fall when the organization revealed that it had lost its charitable status for failing to file the required federal form 990, for three years in a row. The leadership of the NJSPCA attributed the problem to an accountant who had a stroke. Having attracted the public’s attention, media outlets, including Walt Kane at News12 New Jersey, and Caren Chesler at NJ Spotlight, have covered these issues extensively.

Below are links to these news stories. You can judge for yourself whether or not this organization, as it is currently constituted, has legitimate oversight by the State of New Jersey, and whether or not it is genuinely serving the cause of animal welfare and fighting animal abuse.

NEWS 12 NJ:

Kane In Your Corner: NJSPCA Under Investigation by state agencies

Kane In Your Corner: NJSPCA law enforcement practices questioned

Kane In Your Corner: NJSPCA no-bid contracts questioned

Kane In Your Corner: NJSCPA refusing to show invoices for legal fees

 

NJ SPOTLIGHT:

Continued Trouble Dogs Troubled Agency Charged with Protecting Animals

Are Guns and Police Cars the Best Way to Prevent Cruelty to Animals in NJ?

Dubious Financial Dealings at NJ Agency Tasked with Protecting Animals

Hello New Jersey Animal Lovers

This blog is for all New Jerseyites who care about, and care for, animals. It is dedicated to the many wonderful “animal people” I have met over the last five years – Niki Dawson, Elda Hubbard and all my colleagues at Sammy’s Hope, Kristen Padden, Heather Campione, Kathleen Schatzmann, everyone at Best Friends Animal Society and the Animal Legal Defense Fund, The ASPCA Fearful Dog program, Michelle Merletto Cilurso, Tracy Rolph, and dozens of others.

I am not allowing comments because that will lend itself to invective and vitriol which will not help homeless and innocent animals.  I will post news items and on occasion, opinion, that I believe will contribute to improving the welfare of homeless animals.  It will also shine a light on issues and organizations — such as NJSPCA — that need to be examined.

There is no shortage of people in NJ who care about animals.  I meet them every day.  But the laws are too weak, the shelter system is mostly broken, and euthanasia is far too often the fate of innocent animals whose only crime was being brought into this world.

If you care, then DO something: volunteer, donate, foster, attend a fundraiser, but most of all: spay or neuter your  pets and ADOPT from your local shelter.