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 stupid to return the abused pets to their abusive owners! Please find them good loving homes because these kind souls deserve it!
WE NEED A PETITION TO GET JUSTICE FOR GHOST! THE DOG THAT WAS BURIED ALIVE. THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHO THE PERPS ARE, BUT WAYNE COUNTY KYM WORTHY IS NOT DOING ANYTHING. THATS UNACCEPTABLE. TIFFANY WHITE, PLEASE CONTACT ME. EMAIL IS BELOW
Can you please tell me what happened? I live in metro detroit and would like to write a letter.
tHESE SHELTERS NEED TO APPLY FOR GRANTS OR GET THESE ADVOCATES FOR NO KILL AND STOP MURDERING OUR GOOD ADOPTABLE ANIMALS! THIS IS JUST SICK!
Our laws must speak out for protection to animals from abusive owners. To give abused pets back to their abusers is without merit. It’s stupid! There is no sense in such a judgement. Judges and Courts depend on goodwill of their population as without respect courts would have no effect. Abusers need to face their crimes and accept punishment. Why? Because it is still murder. Killing another living being is murder. Hurting another living thing is serious. Many people feel sad for the dead among us. While I honor that I also feel sad and angry for those who must live out their lives being injured physically, mentally, or emotionally by people wanting to cause harm or kill.
Our society can not abide by laws which do not stand for any and all victims of abuse and or death.
I do not understand any government anywhere that would return abused animals back to their owners! It is beyond my comprehension. These abusers don’t care. They will most likely repeat the abuse. The owners of these abused animals may blame the animal for the entire process and abuse them again.
Lilypearl
DO NOT RETURN THESE ABUSED ANIMALS BACK TO THE OWNER!!!!!!~!
That’s absurd to return abused animals to the abuser. If anything, prosecute those responsible to the full extent of the law and allow the abused animal to go to a sanctuary or a safe shelter.
Dumbest idea ever
Abuse is a felony, right? It is stupid, beyond words to return an animal to an abuser! Are your agencies that stupid?
Returning an animal to an abuser needs to be against the law. Where are our laws? Do they not apply to animals?Laws need to apply to all animals just as to people but the law is slow on both fronts. The law needs to be adhered to. We need to demonstrate that tough laws produce kinder people.
Hopefully that is still possible.
Why would the courts do this. It is beyond my comprehension that anyone would return an animal back to it’s abuser. It’s way past time to get the courts to protect ALL sentient beings.
This is nearly as bad as the stupidity here in Alburquerque with which we return battered and abused children to their parents over and over again, until the parents finally kill the kids. It requires a really special kind of stupidity to make these kinds of decisions on behalf these living beings that do not have the power to protect themselves.
This is a no brainer!! Charge, imprison and ban from owning animals or the judges who return animals should go to prison!!
HOLY CRAP. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO BE THAT CLUELESS????
IF YOU ARE THIS HEARTLESS THEN YOU NEED TO SET UP A 24 HOUR SURVEILLANCE CAMERA AND HAVE SOMEONE MONITOR IT 24 HOURS A DAY, BECAUSE ABUSERS WILL STRIKE AGAIN. ANIMAL ABUSERS WILL NEVER STOP ON THEIR OWN. THE HURT IN ABUSERS RUNS VERY DEEP AND IT IS SENSELESS TO RE EXPOSE ANY ANIMAL TO GUARANTEED PAIN AND SUFFERING AND DEATHS.
YES!!!
ANYONE WHO CAN AND DOES ABUSE ANIMALS ARE NOTHING BUT LESS THAN HUMAN BEINGS SICK PHYCOPATHS THAT STARTS WITH ANIMALS THEN MOVES TO HUMANS AND THE JUDGES AND OR THE PROSECUTORS WHO ARE ALLOWING THESE HELPLESS ANIMALS TO GO BACK TO THEIR ABUSER ARE JUST AS SICK!!! MISSOURI, NEW MEXICO AND ARKANSAS ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER STATES ARE AT THE BOTTOM FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION NOTHING TO BE PROUD ABOUT!!!
WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!?
Please make sure that animals are protected from people that could harm them over and over again.
I’m in agreement for not returning animals to people who abuse & neglect them, but “allegedly” makes me question this petition. What happens if someone wants to retaliate against you and ACCUSES you of abusing your furrbaby with no proof accept their word, just to hurt you by having the one thing you love taken from you?
In no case EVER should an abused animal be returned to the abuser.! WTF????????
Besides if the law is doing its job, properly, the abuser should be in jail and depending on the severity of abuse, jail time should be substantial! That gives all rescue organizations enough time to find a loving forever home!
Don’t ever return any animal to EVIL! That would be abuse!
It’s hard to believe that we have to sign a petition to get those in charge – lawmakers, etc to get off their asses and do something to protect these poor animals. The animal abusers are forever – they never will quit – and even thinking about returning animals to them is beyond anything logical that anyone can dream up. Wake up people and do something to protect the ANIMALS and never mind about coming up with excuses as to why these abusers hurt the animals – who in the hell cares about what their issues might be – my issue is only about the lives of the poor innocent animals – screw the abusers of these animals. Don’t care about their problems don’t want to hear about their problems. Just save the innocent animals.
Just because someone is ACCUSED does not mean they did anything. Case in point – someone wanting to get back at you and saying you did something to your furrbaby to have them taken away just to hurt you. If they DO have proof, an eye for an eye.
Animals are like KIDS. Would you send a defenseless kid back to a sadistic psychopath!!??
It’s unbelievable that such OBVIOUS things must be EXPLAINED to the people in power!! ANIMALS FIRST!!!