[Toby4Life]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/08/firefighter.kills.dogs/index.html

This just floors me.

The lawyers comments at the end are about as insensitive as you get. You'd think with all their education they'd be a little smarter (I can say this as my sister is a lawyer).

 

[FilleBelle]

I remember reading this story when it happen a few months ago. I think the creepiest thing about this is that he hung the dogs, then fired 11 shots. It's one thing to shoot one fatal shot, quite another to torture a dog, then fill it with bullets. A little crazy, if you ask me.

 

[Teela Brown]

A little crazy, if you ask me.

Wow...no kidding! That is the behaviour of a border-line sociopath. I can understand why people would be nervous around him after that.

"It's the same old story. They couldn't care less about people and they love animals,"

Wait...WHAT?

 

[Jr. Dog Expert]

I think the creepiest thing about this is that he hung the dogs, then fired 11 shots. It's one thing to shoot one fatal shot, quite another to torture a dog, then fill it with bullets. A little crazy, if you ask me.

I agree, those are two completely different things.

The reason for doing it was senseless as well...I think anyone that is able to do this has serious (and I mean SERIOUS) psycological problems...

 

[Kina_A]

It disturbs me slightly that people can routinely drop off large adult mixed breed dogs to the pound, with almost certain knowledge that the dogs will be put down, with no consequence to themselves, and this man, despite his crudities, is made into a monster. There are distinctions of course, but a degree of hypocrisy as well.

But he hung the dogs and then shot them 11 times!!! IMO he got off easy!!

 

[Binkalette]

"It's the same old story. They couldn't care less about people and they love animals," lawyer Sam Shamansky said.

Moron.

That's all I have to say about that.

"It, of course, was a heinous act, and it's an act for which he's sorry and has accepted responsibility," Shamansky said of the dog killings. "He's been punished appropriately, and I think it's now time for the public to practice what they preach and show a little forgiveness and mercy. Maybe that might be a novel approach."

Generally, I forgive easily.. But not so easily when the crime was against someone who is completely innocent and defenseless. I feel the same about people who do horrible things to children... and I'm quite un-christian in this way.. I cannot forgive things like this. I just can't, and I wouldn't expect anyone to forgive me if I should ever have done something so horrible.

 

[baorb]

fired at least 11 shots from a .22-caliber rifle fitted with a homemade silencer

He should of got a lot more time just for that.

It, of course, was a heinous act, and it's an act for which he's sorry and has accepted responsibility," Shamansky said of the dog killings. "He's been punished appropriately, and I think it's now time for the public to practice what they preach and show a little forgiveness and mercy. Maybe that might be a novel approach.

Funny how they tried to make us feel bad. Maybe if he showed some mercy.

 

[stripe]

Just goes to show that there are some sick and nasty people in this world
Stripe

 

[poodleholic]

This is not an insubstantial punishment for a man with no criminal record.

It disturbs me slightly that people can routinely drop off large adult mixed breed dogs to the pound, with almost certain knowledge that the dogs will be put down, with no consequence to themselves, and this man, despite his crudities, is made into a monster. There are distinctions of course, but a degree of hypocrisy as well.

Oh please, get real. Torturing his companion dogs by hanging them up, then shooting them 11 times in his basement is an entirely different thing than someone who drops off a dog at the pound - for whatever reason. And, there are, surprisingly, people who really don't realize that the dog(s) will end up put down. Even those who DO know cannot be compared to this man who, IMO, IS a monster. The act itself was vile enough, but then to brag about it as well? Oh yeah, nice guy.

 

[Pai]

"It's the same old story. They couldn't care less about people and they love animals,"

Does that guy realize that it is PROVEN that almost all sociopathic serial killers started out torturing animals? So there is actually a very good reason right there to take thing kind of thing seriously, even by people who may not give a crap about animals by themselves. People who torture animals very often turn out to be threats to the rest of society.

 

[Pai]

IAs for the people dropping dogs off at the pound, I do not believe their is any true innocence in keeping yourself blissfully ignorant.

You're aware that not all pounds kill 90% of the animals they take in, right? I believe the national adoption rate for shelters is around 50%. So it's not 'insta-death' for every animal sent to one.

If you're talking about a well-known hellhole pound that has a horrible kill rate and conditions, then yeah, I can see how you could judge people for still giving their pets to them. But most folks know next to zilch about their local shelter except that 'you take your pet there if you can't keep it anymore'. They have no idea what the average euthanasia rate is for their county. So I'd hesitate to lump them in with people who think shooting dogs is cool.

 

[BluesGuy]

I read it as the man tied up his dogs and shot them, which in itself is not necessarily any more inhumane than other methods of euthanasia. If he did torture them then I concur that he is a very sick individual.

As for the people dropping dogs off at the pound, I do not believe there is any true innocence in keeping yourself blissfully ignorant.

Then perhaps you need to learn to read better...."Columbus firefighter David P. Santuomo, 43, took Sloopy and Skeeter to his home's basement, suspended them from a pipe near the ceiling and fired at least 11 shots from a .22-caliber rifle fitted with a homemade silencer"......I think thats a little bit more than tieing them up....you think.

 

[DalmatianDave]

What a horrible story...

 

[AmyBeth]

I can't believe that they would let someone who is capable of such a heartless and cruel act to be a firefight . Firefighters are there to save lives at the risk of their own. And how can someone willing to kill their dogs instead of finding someone to feed them while they're gone be able to vaule the life of someone else over their own?

 

[4dogs3cats]

ASIDE from the fact that what he did was heinous ans cruel and should be punished to the full extent....

Who spends hundreds of dollars on a cruise and then can't afford the 20 bucks a day to board their dogs?

Aside from being a monster, this guy has zero common sense.

 

[SweetJeannie]

Maybe I watch too much CSI or something.... but :

took Sloopy and Skeeter to his home's basement, suspended them from a pipe near the ceiling and fired at least 11 shots from a .22-caliber rifle fitted with a homemade silencer,

11 shots seems kind of excessive. The fact that he HUNG them and then filled each up with bullets seem more of an emotional kill an angry kill? The fact that he used a home made silencer makes it feel even more like planned cold-hearted murder.

It disturbs me slightly that people can routinely drop off large adult mixed breed dogs to the pound, with almost certain knowledge that the dogs will be put down, with no consequence to themselves, and this man, despite his crudities, is made into a monster. There are distinctions of course, but a degree of hypocrisy as well.

This man is a monster. If he didn't want to be labeled a monster, he should have taken is dogs to the pound. At least they are euthenized humanely rather then hung and shot multiple times! OR they could be adopted out! We unfortunately will never know.

I'm sorry but there is no way I could find any sort of hypocrisy in the this. As another poster said, this is entirely different.

As for the people dropping dogs off at the pound, I do not believe there is any true innocence in keeping yourself blissfully ignorant

I dont belive people are blissfully ignorant, maybe blissfully optimistic that their dogs might find a new home to love them AND GUESS WHAT.... SOME DO.

 

[flipgirl]

I think there is another thread about this. Anyway, the fireidiot got what he deserved. I didn't hear the first time around that he had hung his dogs and that to me, is the heinous part. Did he really have to hang them?

Regardless, the comments that the police made at the end of the article were insensitive. And well, there are times when I actually do care more about animals than people. No matter how bad of a mood I am in, how fat I get, how ugly I am, my dog and my cats will always be glad to see me and love me. I can't say that about most people.

At least pets will be safe for 5 years from the idiot. Mind you, having worked at an animal hospital for 7 months now, I can see some people would go to the same lengths to save a few bucks.

 

[zhaor]

suspended them from a pipe near the ceiling and fired at least 11 shots from a .22-caliber rifle fitted with a homemade silencer

That is messed up.

Dropping them off at the pound would atleast give them some chance and even if they are euthanized, it's undoubtedly better than being hung and shot to death.

Many people like shooting a gun and it sounds like to me this man is just a psychopath who wanted to shoot some living targets. Who's to say he won't target other lives.

I respect firefighters and what they do but this guy needs some serious psychological help.

 

[tigress]

I remember reading this story when it happen a few months ago. I think the creepiest thing about this is that he hung the dogs, then fired 11 shots. It's one thing to shoot one fatal shot, quite another to torture a dog, then fill it with bullets. A little crazy, if you ask me.

Guy's a little crazy/irresponsible?

I mean without even looking at what he did with his dogs. He claims he can't afford to board them, he's been in bankruptcy twice, and yet the idiot spends money on a cruise? I mean sure, everyone can use a vacation, but you can vacation a helluva lot cheaper than a cruise and still have a good vacation. And if you are having money issues, sorry you are constrained but them's the breaks, bub. I can see why he has been in bankruptcy. He has no clue how to handle his finances responsibley at all.

I wonder how much other stuff he made his dog's sacrifice cause he couldn't afford it (oh, you got a cyst? I guess that will heal over on its own, I don't have money for a vet cause I'd rather get this brand new car).

You know, the more I see people's arguements here, the more I think the guy also was crazy and probably enjoyed doing it. I mean, if you loved your dogs or even were ok with them and you really were selfish enough to spend a ton of money on a cruise which left you no money for boarding the dogs, why would your first inclination be to shoot them rather than give them to the pound? And even if it was, why would you shoot them 11 times or hang them from the ceiling? Wouldn't it be something you at least found odious enough that you would only do what was necessary (Tie them up, wait til they are still, get a good aim, and shoot them in the head and maybe again if some how you missed and they are still alive) and not do overkill? And then brag about it to your coworkers (That really shows imbalance to not even realize that most people would not look at that as something to tell others about. I think a sane person who was just selfish and an idiot with their money would have kept the fact to himself because of fear of public censure).

It's not that he shot them that I think shows crazyness, it's how he went about it. Which I suspect he wanted ot be able to shoot his gun, or watch his animals die.. but I suspect some sort of imbalance there.

 

[BooLette]

Santuomo was sentenced to 90 days in jail, to be served in 10-day increments over the next two years. He also has to pay $4,500 in restitution, perform 200 hours of community service, stay away from companion animals for five years and write a letter of apology to be published in the local newspaper and the International Association of Firefighters magazine, the humane society's Miller said.

This to me, does not seem like a large enough punishment. If he were to do this to his children he would be facing life in prison, maybe even the death sentence. I view my pets as my children. They are just as dependent on me as my children are. (more so, actually) There is no reason for these kinds of actions.
It would have been cheaper for him to just board the dogs. Now he is paying about twenty times as much in fines...what a winner.

I wouldn't want him anywhere near my house if it was burning down. I wouldn't want this man to touch any of my pets or family members. No way. No how.