Read this article, and tell me if you think this man really oughta be placed in a position to interact with animals again, during his probation!
Puppies' killer sentenced to prison, work with animals
The man killed at least four puppies and buried them, authorities say.
By COLLEEN JENKINS
Published February 13, 2007
TAMPA - First he killed Romeo.
Then Sadie and Little Wiggles.
Then a pit bull named Angel.
Authorities say Benjamin M. Boatwright killed at least four puppies in two years and buried them outside his home in northeastern Hillsborough County.
An animal control officer said it was the most heinous animal abuse he had ever seen.
Circuit Judge Daniel Sleet decided Monday that it was serious enough to warrant prison time. He sentenced Boatwright, 25, to 2 1/2 years in prison and five years of probation. As part of his probation, Boatwright must perform 250 hours of community service at the Humane Society.
"You're going to take care of those animals that you mistreated," Sleet said.
Boatwright's landlord reported him for suspicious behavior, prosecutor Kristen Over said.
When an officer asked what happened to Romeo, Boatwright said he shot the dog in the head after it bit Sally Dykes, his live-in girlfriend. The dog didn't die immediately, he told the officer, so he kicked it in the head.
Later, Boatwright said Romeo died after being hit by a car.
The officer found Sadie's remains in a backyard grave. A plastic bag was tied around the German shepherd's skull, and tests showed two pellets inside, Over said.
Little Wiggles whined too much, Boatwright said. So he choked the dog to death. Angel pooped inside Boatwright's mobile home. He kicked the puppy into a cabinet, fatally fracturing its skull.
After pleading guilty last month to three counts of animal cruelty, Boatwright said he was high on drugs when he killed Sadie and Angel.
Colleen Jenkins can be reached at 813 226-3337
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3 comments:
That's a sad story, but our "animal cruelty" laws merely underscore the hypocrisy of our concommitant unregulated abuse of countless millions of "food" animals who, as far as sentience is concerned, are the emotional and mental equals of dogs and cats.
Yeah..it's terrible. As much as we love the house-pets, it can't be said that "food animals" are treated any better.
The whole concept of pate, for instance. The method for making that stuff is inhumane towards those poor geese. Nobody gets fined, jailed, or otherwise reprimanded for force-feeding THOSE animals.
A clear double standard if ever there was one!
dkj
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