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June 19, 2009
Puppy problems produced by prison populations
This local dispatch reporting on the prison economy in Oregon, which is headlined "Ore. Lawmakers: State can't afford tougher penalties for animal abuse," prompted me to produce the alliterative title to this post. Here are the particulars:
A bill currently making it's way through the Oregon legislature would create stiffer penalties for several types of criminals. However, Animal abusers are not among them.
The Criminal Justice Commission dropped felony and aggravated animal abuse changes from the bill after lawmakers said Wednesday the state cannot afford to put more people in prison.
The news comes on the heels of a case in which a Talent man plead guilty in Jackson County Circuit Court Wednesday to suffocating a litter of five 8-week-old mixed-breed puppies in plastic bags last month. Another man dumped the puppies at the Southern Oregon Humane Society.
54-year-old Robert Fullmer was sentenced to 40 days in jail. Prosecutors said that Fullmer had already been in jail 35 days, so his sentence will soon be up. Before he agreed to a plea deal, Fullmer faced felony charges of animal abuse. Prosecutor Jeremy Markiewicz says he expects irate phone calls about the sentence, but he says state sentencing guidelines don't provide for stern sentences for animal abuse....The rules coordinator for the CJC says he hopes the legislature will adopt the new stricter penalties in the next session in 2011
June 19, 2009 at 08:56 AM | Permalink
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Comments
This is sick! Oregon legislature must create stiffer penalties for these types of crimes. Cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, etc. are part of our family. They have rights too! We must protect those who cannot speak for themselves. Absurd! Change the laws! If they show this behavior towards defenseless animals just think what they will do to a mentally ill person, or others with a disability! Just imagine the path of logic they are heading down in their psyche. Scary thought isn't it? Concerned for defenseless people, children, elderly and family pets.
Posted by: Kelly A. Daggett | Jul 30, 2009 5:35:30 AM
