Buddy, a five year old German Shepherd, was dead within 48 hours of setting paws in his new home.
I want this story (another write-up available here) to reach as many ears as possible, because this is nothing short of premeditated murder. Just because the victim was a dog shouldn't mean that the man who pulled the trigger should be allowed to walk away without paying for his horrible crime.
Buddy was recently fostered out to a home in Middlefield, CT. Allegedly, the dog bit his new foster mom. Both the police and the animal control officer were called, and the dog was quarantined. Arrangements were made for the rescue who fostered the dog out to pick him up as quickly as possible.
Apparently, the rescue wasn't fast enough.
The owner's boyfriend retrieved the dog from a friend's home where it was being quarantined. Boyfriend went to the friend's house, got Buddy, brought him home - again, Buddy was so dangerous that Boyfriend could accomplish all of this - and shot Buddy dead in cold blood.
#1: In Connecticut, if a dog bites, the owner can quarantine it at his home or he can choose to have it quarantined at the local animal control facility. Why was the dog at the home of a third party? That's against CT law. The ball was dropped by the ACO, therefore Buddy had no protection.
#2: In all of the stories I've read, there have been no reports that the bite required medical attention, emergency or otherwise. Nothing. So how bad was this "bite"? Or maybe the question is how whacko is this gun-toting yahoo.
#3: The new "owners" hadn't signed a contract yet. They had agreed to foster Buddy to see how things worked out. Therefore, the ACO should have taken Buddy, period, to comply with CT law.Ironically, that last issue may be what gets Buddy justice.
In Connecticut, if you kill someone else's dog, you could face up to six months in prison and a $1,000 fine. If animal cruelty can be proven, the jail sentence can be increased to a year. Make it five years in jail if malicious intent can be proven.
At this point, the Chief State Animal Control Officer has ordered an investigation, and a state representative is involved in the probe as well. For Buddy's sake, I hope this case lands Whacko Yahoo in jail for a good, long time. I hope it sheds light on the animal cruelty and abuse that happens in Connecticut daily, and I hope and pray that it helps to make a difference in the quality of the lives of animals across our state.
