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July 22, 2006

Readers' Forum: July 22, 2006

Get tough on those who abuse animals

As a resident of Vigo County for the last 14 years, I am appalled at the lack of penalties for the neglect and cruelty to animals.

On June 22, not only I but several neighbors and a few of the neighborhood children were subject to watching a defenseless dog die a slow and painful death.

A neighbor had left the dog tied out on a short leash with no shelter from the sun and no water in her bowl. This was NOT the first time. The dog was left out during a storm that clearly upset her. She had been left out in the days preceding her death when the heat had been unbearable. She was basically left out there since their ownership of the dog. Alone, all day, barking, howling looking for someone to show it attention.

Admittedly a layman, I have no doubt it was the heat that took this dog’s life. She was so hot to the touch it startled me. She was gasping so badly for breath and then her heart just stopped very quickly.

I have a wonderful team of vets at the Wabash Valley Animal Hospital who have been called upon quite a lot recently for my own dog’s needs and illness. I was taught by Dr. Pickering what to do in the event my own dog’s heart stopped (due to her illness). We tried on this dog. There was just nothing we could do.

A call was made to the THPD and they were going to send out an officer. Then, it was stated she had died and it became a different call — code enforcement.

Officer Tim Manley showed up at the address rather quickly (within 10 minutes of the call) and assessed the same situation we all endured in those few moments. He was professional and above that compassionate.

He explained the procedures regarding the law and the expected outcome as far as penalty to the owner(s). That is when my neighbors and I became upset. A dog dies, and the owner gets a fine. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

Officer Manley and another officer whose name I did not get, though ever professional, seemed as frustrated as we the witnesses were.

I have invested a lot of money in my own two dogs that both have serious medical conditions. I took on the burden of expense when I accepted ownership of my dogs. They are companion animals, not wild animals. They depend on us to provide them the basic needs in life — food, water, shelter and companionship.

All this dog needed was the basics. Companionship would have been nice too but clearly that was not a concern.

It should not surprise me that animals are forgotten here in Vigo County (or Indiana). After all, the death of a defenseless little girl while in the care of day-care provider only solicited weak penalties to the day-care provider who is responsible for her death. She roams free while the parents grieve for the rest of their lives.

Why then should the lack of punishment for animal cruelty and neglect surprise me? Dogs are not at the top of the food chain so I/we shouldn’t expect more of their owners. Or should we?

There has been a direct correlation between animal cruelty and neglect and how a person treats human beings. Perhaps if stiffer penalties applied to people, we could have hope for the animals. At present, I fear for the little ones, both human and animal.

— Tammy Woodcock

Terre Haute

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