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June 19, 2003
Unbelievable Horror
Wow, today's local newspaper is just full of unbelievable horrors.
A man who police said killed a dog, mutilated the carcass and then put parts of the animal on a small barbecue grill surrendered to authorities Wednesday.
Why in the name of God would anyone do that?
Jared Kemp [the dog's owner] said Friday that Harden and Allison were his friends but that he refused to get involved in some questionable activities with them.
So they killed his dog and butchered it.
According to patrolman Owen Smith, three witnesses reported Harden telling them that he killed a dog, cleaned, grilled and ate it.
Roper later said the barbecue grill was never lighted, and the dog was not grilled.
Smith said he found two paws in a resealable plastic bag, along with bloodstained paper towels, inside the grill. He also reported witnesses saying that Harden cleaned the dog after tying it to a ladder and gutting it....Roper said police recovered the dog’s head in a shallow swimming pool at an abandoned residence at 1315 S. Main St. south of downtown. "Our investigation led us to that pool," Roper said. The dog’s torso has not been recovered.
Unfortunately, the perps only face misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals (1 yr. in jail & up to $1000 fine) and theft....though there's people trying to change that.
The case is an example of why the state needs tougher crueltyto-animal laws, said state Rep. Buddy Blair, D-Fort Smith, who introduced a bill during the last legislative session that would have made heinous crimes felonies. Blair’s proposal also called for mandatory psychological examinations for those convicted of cruel acts to animals. The bill passed in the House but failed in a Senate committee earlier this year.
I agree, there's something seriously wrong with someone who would do something like this...and they need more than a slap on the wrist when they do.
And for all you people who voted against a similar amendment to increase penalties for animal cruelty in the last election: Shame on you.
Posted by Rita at June 19, 2003 09:12 AM
Comments
I heard this a couple of days ago, while riding in to work on the bus. It was one of those hand-over-my-mouth stories.
How can someone DO such a thing? How screwed up do you need to be?
Posted by: Keith at June 20, 2003 08:34 AM
I agree. I'm a non-violent person (no comments Mike), but I would definitely like to kick this guy's ass. It's one thing to harm an adult who can (hopefully) defend himself, but an animal is _definitely_ a different situation.
Posted by: Bob at June 22, 2003 10:02 PM