Target: Ben Butler, Prosecuting Attorney for Cass County, MO
Goal: Advocate for rescue organizations to be granted legal custody of animals rescued from potential neglect and abuse.
The Super Bowl is perhaps most noted by animal lovers for the event that precedes it: the Puppy Bowl. This tongue-in-cheek televised event brings needed attention to the many young dogs in search of a forever home. But the work remains year-round, as highlighted by a recent case in Missouri.
The fate of several dogs was in the balance after they were rescued from a residence described as an unsafe and unhealthy environment. The state’s humane society removed the dogs from this alleged neglect and abuse and moved them to a recovery facility in St. Louis. But the society still had to fight for full custody of the dogs in court. If they were successful, the dogs could be restored to health and put up for adoption into forever homes. If not, the possibility existed that they would be returned to their accused abusers.
Fortunately, at least in this case, the odds seem in the rescue society’s favor. Sign the petition below to urge officials in the county where this incident took place to grant immediate custody of at-risk animals to capable and professional caregivers.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Prosecutor Butler,
The recent rescue of several dogs from a Cass County property is another unfortunate reported example of the neglect and abuse taking too many animals. Care for these vulnerable living beings should be an immediate and first priority. Do not force rescue organizations into court to prove they are a better custodian than alleged abusers.
Give these caregivers priority and ensure that no animal is placed back into the custody of a potential danger to their health and well-being.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Nom d’Util
It would be a very irresponsible decision in the State of Missouri to allow an abused and or neglected animal back into the hands of their abuser. Changes in the Law seem necessary it seems to ensure that animal abusers are not given permission to repeat their abuse against any animals in their care.
What in the world is our legal system thinking? Abusers should never have the privilege of having pets again. This is just plain ignorant behavior from our legal system.
WHAT JUDICIAL IDIOTS!! ABUSERS HAVE LOST THE HONOR OF HAVING A PET!!
THEY ARE JUST EVIL AND HAVE NO RIGHTS TO THAT ABUSED ANIMAL!!
NONE!!
I can’t comprehend how anyone with an ounce of common sense and compassion could even contemplate sending an abused animal back to their abuser.
That’s exactly what I am wondering …
AMEN!!!
Dear Prosecutor Butler,
What kind of person elected to be a judge would return back a dog abused by his owner – a sadistic son of a bitch – who enjoyed mistreating him?
Only a no-brain piece of crap!
Yesss!!!
I thought that judges were chosen for their good judgment and reputation for being fair and impartial – but in this case, the person who handed down the sentence to return defenseless animals to their owners, apparently lacks ‘brains’… so how can you expect that the culprit person is going to change if the abnormal is just an abortion of nature?
Dear Prosecutor Butler,
IT MAKES NO SENSE THAT THE DOGS BE RETURNED TO THEIR ACCUSED ABUSERS —
– IS THIS THE UNITED STATES WHO PRAISES ITSELF TO BE THE FIRST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD?
– ARE WE REALLY CIVILIZED?
– DOES THIS MEAN THAT CULPRITS CAN NOW GET AWAY WITH MURDER?
U
DUH!!!! We have to petition to NOT return abused animals to the mutants who abused them???????? How lame and ABSURD!!!!!
DISGUSTING HOW animal abuse cases NEVER ARE AGGRESSIVLY PURSUED OR THESE MUTANTS WOULD BE DOING HARD TIME!!!!!
ANYONE WITH A MODICUM OF LOGIC, COMPASSION, REASON AND INTELLIGENCE WOULD OF COURSE NOT RETURN AN ABUSED ANIMAL TO THE ABUSER!!!! DO WE RETURN ABUSED CHILDREN TO THEIR ABUSERS????
IT’S AN OUTRAGE THAT THIS HAS TO BE ARGUED!!!
Agree, the law needs to be changed to protect innocent animals it is our duty to protect them.
Agree all comments
Would a child be returned to its pedophile guardian? So why are pets sent back to their abusers?
No animal should be returned to ANY ABUSER. It is beyond comprehension that anyone would do this. JAIL ABUSERS.
Bad decision!! You ‘save’ these poor animals just to give them back so the scum can have a second go at them? And now they’re going to seek revenge, because their behavior got them into trouble. Blame it on the animal, not their stupidity, cruelty, bad temper, evil behavior. Once you save them, finish the job by rehoming and giving them a chance. Not throw them back into Hell.
Returning an abused pet to the abuser is the same as returning a child to an evil caretaker who will end up killing the innocent child.
Do not return the animals to the abuser! That would be the most stupid and inhumane thing ever. Give the animals a chance at a better life, not the hell they’ve been forced to live in.
NEVER RETURN NEVER – NEVER – NEVER
Politicians!
When are you going to do your job and protect animals by legislating Animal Protection Laws with punishments worth the name as well as lifetime bans of ever owning animals again?
How psychopaths can continue to subject defensless animals to sadistic cruelty without being severly punished is incomprehensible!
STOP PAMPERING ANIMAL ABUSERS no matter what shape or form they come in!
It’s time to stand up and protect those without a voice!
It’s time to show human compassion!