[mashlee08]

I would like to share this story with you from New Zealand, my Home.
My Home where something so terrible could happen.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7320897/SPCA-staff-tearful-at-dog-killers-sentencing
I don't really know what to write here other then I am too shocked for words.
This case has left a lot of animal rights activists in New Zealand with a broken spirit and a heart full of sorrow. One of those people being me. Anyone that has a soul really.
What these two men did was disgusting and everyone was hoping for a harsher sentence. Home detention and community service for mass murdering 33 dogs on a shooting spree isn't justice at all. It leaves little hope in my heart for humanity.

Please send your thoughts and prayers to all those people that worked so hard on this case in New Zealand.

 

[WhoRescuedWho?]

Wow that is horrible! It said they were mostly caged too! I read "Mendoza's involvement was ''spur of the moment'' as a gun was thrust into his hands. Being an animal lover, he regrets it, his lawyer Joe Koppens said" and thought bullshizz. No one who loves animals is capable of that kind of murder at point blank. I cannot believe how lenient things were and the fact they can still own pets!! Terrible.

 

[mashlee08]

I cannot believe how lenient things were and the fact they can still own pets!! Terrible.

This is the part that gets me the most! Still allowed to own pets. What a joke. He doesn't deserve the privilege.

 

[Abbylynn]

This is the part that gets me the most! Still allowed to own pets. What a joke. He doesn't deserve the privilege.

This ^ ... ^ ... ^ .... exactly! It is horrible! My Mother used to tell me as a child ... that if a human has the capability of killing an animal other than for food or sport ... that it could eventually lead to that person(s) having the ability to kill a human. I have my own personal beliefs that this has truth behind it ... and that is a is scary scenario!

Unless I misunderstood the article ... You know that just because the guns were destroyed doesn't mean that they cannot purchase new ones.

I feel sooo bad for all those poor innocent dogs and people involved.

 

[Pawzk9]

This case has left a lot of animal rights activists in New Zealand with a broken spirit and a heart full of sorrow. One of those people being me. Anyone that has a soul really.
What these two men did was disgusting and everyone was hoping for a harsher sentence. Home detention and community service for mass murdering 33 dogs on a shooting spree isn't justice at all. It leaves little hope in my heart for humanity.

Please send your thoughts and prayers to all those people that worked so hard on this case in New Zealand.

It's very sad to be sure. However, I can't see generalizing the callous behavior of a couple of "good ol boys" and a light sentence to be the cause for "leaving little hope for humanity." This is two people and one judge. You can't blame all of humanity for their decisions, although that does seem to be the trend for many people in the animal rights movement.

 

[Pawzk9]

Quite honestly, someone living in an abandoned quarry with 30 or so dogs who are getting out and mauling other people's pets is possibly a matter that the authorities should have already taken charge of, before the neighbors took matters into their own hands. It sounds as if the owner of the dogs gave them permission to kill the adults?

 

[aiw]

Its pretty horrifying... it also sounds like animal control should've gotten involved in that situation a long time ago and could have prevented what happened.

 

[Willowy]

Look, if shooting dogs is legal there (sounds like it is), the only reason they got in trouble was for shooting more dogs than the owner allowed. I think shooting dogs is cruel but that's not what they got in trouble for. They got in trouble for destroying some guy's property without his permission. Because dogs are just property, sadly.

 

[mashlee08]

While I agree that animal control should have seized the dogs earlier, they didn't. Fact is these two people killed 33 innocent dogs and got off with a slap on the wrist. While its "ok" to put dogs down with guns here in farm country, investigations found that a large number of the dogs didn't die instantly and were left suffering until they died. Leaves me little hope because day after day these things are happening here and the justice system fail to see it as problem. Perhaps I was over exaggerating but in a country so small there is far far too much horrible cases of animals abuse that are just swept under the rug and ignored. No matter how people push here, nothing ever happens. It's not okay to hurt and abuse animals, but in this world they are fast becoming disposable and humans think its Ok. It's going to take a lot to change the human psyche and penalties like this just don't help the cause. It leaves me little hope because if justicce can't set an example then who can?

 

[Pawzk9]

While I agree that animal control should have seized the dogs earlier, they didn't. Fact is these two people killed 33 innocent dogs and got off with a slap on the wrist. While its "ok" to put dogs down with guns here in farm country, investigations found that a large number of the dogs didn't die instantly and were left suffering until they died. Leaves me little hope because day after day these things are happening here and the justice system fail to see it as problem. Perhaps I was over exaggerating but in a country so small there is far far too much horrible cases of animals abuse that are just swept under the rug and ignored. No matter how people push here, nothing ever happens. It's not okay to hurt and abuse animals, but in this world they are fast becoming disposable and humans think its Ok. It's going to take a lot to change the human psyche and penalties like this just don't help the cause. It leaves me little hope because if justicce can't set an example then who can?

Would it still be "murder" if animal control confescated the dogs and euthanized them? (and nobody said it was "okay" - not even the judge who gave the light sentences - probably because the problem should have been handled and they had the owner's permission to kill at least some of the dogs.)

 

[spanielorbust]

. . . It's not okay to hurt and abuse animals, but in this world they are fast becoming disposable and humans think its Ok. It's going to take a lot to change the human psyche and penalties like this just don't help the cause. It leaves me little hope because if justicce can't set an example then who can?

In my experience in this world there is less abuse now than there was 40 and 50 years ago. These were times that I can remember adults talking in front of children (myself included) about drowning mismarked puppies. These were times when full litters were drowned, rather than rely on spaying a young female. These were times when, in my country, most dogs brought in to a pound were killed, whereas now we adopt all healthy and adoptable.

It is horrible that the dogs that suffered did but I can't go with you on this flight of despair.

My understanding is that there is improvement in your part of the world as well.

I know that New Zealand is not Australia, but these are posts that have links to Aus stats and refer to figures there which show this.

Dogs are not dying in pounds because of an 'oversupply' problem. dogs are being pts for other factors health, temperament, etc.
There is an oversupply of cats, but these cats are mostly unowned cats, and therefore are not impacted by legislation.
Dogs face an unwanted problem. Independent of supply.

http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/224931-oscars-law/page__st__45

"AUSTRALIA WIDE RSPCA BRANCHES AND SHELTERS 2009 - 2010
DOGS RECEIVED - 68,746
EUTHANISED - 20, 177 (29.4%)
REHOMED - 19,007 (27.6%)
RECLAIMED - 24,223 (35.2%)

AUSTRALIA WIDE RSPCA BRANCHES AND SHELTERS 1997-1998
DOGS RECEIVED - 80,776
EUTHANISED - 36,037 (44.6%)
REHOMED / RECLAIMED - 37,503 (46.4%)"

http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/224931-oscars-law/page__st__60

There will always be attrocities as there will always be a segment of society that will do those things, but I see things as getting much better DUE to the effort put in to change societal attitudes around pet ownership and responsibility.

With regard to who is to set the example . . . . those working in sheltering and their leadership have the largest role to play in changing attitudes by setting examples.

SOB

 

[RCloud]

This case is horrible to be sure, and obviously what the men carried out was sick and very, very wrong and should be punished as such. However, at the risk of getting flamed, I can understand completely where atleast one of the men was coming from. His own dog was killed as the result of being horribly mauled by the neighbor's dogs, and was given no sympathy. It was a cruel act taken out on the dogs, but it sounds more like it was spawned from grief. I would never do what they did, but I can understand where such rage would come from.

 

[WhoRescuedWho?]

This case is horrible to be sure, and obviously what the men carried out was sick and very, very wrong and should be punished as such. However, at the risk of getting flamed, I can understand completely where atleast one of the men was coming from. His own dog was killed as the result of being horribly mauled by the neighbor's dogs, and was given no sympathy. It was a cruel act taken out on the dogs, but it sounds more like it was spawned from grief. I would never do what they did, but I can understand where such rage would come from.

And I would accept it more if it was him beating the neighboor as opposed to killing that many dogs. Shooting the dog that killed your own? Maybe but to kill that many, and so many of them younger too I dont know about. MY dogs are my world and I may in grief and anger be able to cause harm to those who killed him, but not a bunch of pups.

 

[mashlee08]

Would it still be "murder" if animal control confescated the dogs and euthanized them? (and nobody said it was "okay" - not even the judge who gave the light sentences - probably because the problem should have been handled and they had the owner's permission to kill at least some of the dogs.)

Some of those dogs would have got a chance to prove they were worthy to be rehomed, not all would have been euthanized. You can't compare a quick and efficient death to be cornered in your cage watching your pack mates die and then being shot at yourself. Let alone the ones that didnt die instantly.

 

[mashlee08]

The shock part I was reffering to in this post is not the act itself, which is obviously atrocious. The shock was that the penalty did not fit the crime whatsoever.
My grief is for those poor poor investigators that worked their backsides off only to be rewarded with this. It broke their hearts and it is truly saddening.
I should have stated more clearly.

I understand I was melodramatic, but animal cruelty has that effect on some people.

Spanielorbust: your points are valid and I do completely agree with you. Eyes have been opened to the fact its not okay to drown a litter of kittens, but at the risk of sounding stupid, people didnt know better.

I am refering to the acts bordering on the psychopathic, the people that hurt these animals for enjoyment or to blackmail their loved ones. Today it seems more and more of these cases are popping up.

 

[Willowy]

The reason the penalty was so light is that what they did is not illegal, except that they weren't their dogs and they only had permission to kill some of them. If the owner had given the OK for all the dogs to be killed, it would have been fully legal.

 

[spanielorbust]

. . . I am refering to the acts bordering on the psychopathic, the people that hurt these animals for enjoyment or to blackmail their loved ones. Today it seems more and more of these cases are popping up.

I think the media is just drawing our eyes to them just as it does with this kind of violence on humans. The media seem to cater to a morbid fascination (probably cuz it sells). I don't believe there are more cases.

When I was a very young girl I lived in a small town for a short while. I remember Mom telling us to keep the cat in over a few week period. It turns out a young many had been capturing, torturing and then leaving the bodies of neighborhood cats to be found at the homes they came from. These days it would have hit the news . . . . those days it did not.

SOB

 

[Pawzk9]

Look, if shooting dogs is legal there (sounds like it is), the only reason they got in trouble was for shooting more dogs than the owner allowed. I think shooting dogs is cruel but that's not what they got in trouble for. They got in trouble for destroying some guy's property without his permission. Because dogs are just property, sadly.

Not according to the article. They were charged and convicted of ill-treatment, which I guess is another phrase for animal cruelty. If they got in trouble for destroying property, I would think that would be the charge.

 

[Pawzk9]

I am refering to the acts bordering on the psychopathic, the people that hurt these animals for enjoyment or to blackmail their loved ones. Today it seems more and more of these cases are popping up.

This sort of case can make international news because they ARE rare. Things which are common seldom do.