Kudos To Charleston WV On A Positive Cruelty Sentence.

Finally, a positive sentence in an animal cruelty case. A Charleston man got 1 to 3 yrs. in prison for feeding razor blades, wrapped in meat to his neighbor's 4 dogs. In a plea agreement, he plead guilty to felony animal cruelty, and the other 3 charges were dropped.

Seems like Charleston is leading the state in punishing these evil, sadistic people. No matter what the reason he was upset with his neighbor, feeding the dogs razor blades was totally uncalled for. People are just like that, though. Instead of having the moxie to confront the person, they go after the animal.

Louisiana Bans Cock-Fighting For Good.

source: 1st line in the 2nd paragraph taken from article in Herald Dispatch.

Finally, Louisiana has banned cock-fighting. Although it will not be gone totally, it is punishable with fines and possible prison time. The article in this paper, the Herald Dispatch, used the words "gory and bucolic" to describe this blood-sport. The gory I understand, but bucolic means of country life. True, it is said that the Cajun people are country, but I think "bucolic" is not the correct term to use to describe this horrid "sport."


For those willing to travel, cockfighting remains legal on American soil in Puerto Rico, American Samoa and Guam and is popular in Mexico, the Philippines and other foreign countries. The hard core cock-fighters will go to any length to continue, though. So, traveling to these places would be feasible to them.


Thank you to the Gov. of Louisiana for finally making cock-fighting illegal, and thanks to the Humane Society of the United States and other animal rights organizations for pushing so hard to stop this.

Help Change The Abuse Laws In Your State!

Well, it seems that the cruelty will never end. The man in Proctorville that had the Golden Retriever tied to a tree with a chain plead no contest to animal cruelty and neglect. The chain had bit into the dogs neck so severely that it had to be surgically removed because the skin had grown over the chain.

This crime is only a misdemeanor. The laws have to be changed to make this type of cruelty a felony. The judge is holding off sentencing to see what the vet bill will be so the abuser will have to pay restitution. The poor dog is at least safe and recuperating at Animal Friends Vet Clinic in Teays Valley, WV.

Please contact your state Representatives and let them know that animal cruelty will not be tolerated in your state and that abusers should be charged with felony animal cruelty and felony animal neglect.

Continuosly Chaining A Dog Is Inhumane And Dangerous - Part 2.

8. Are tethered dogs otherwise treated well? Rarely does a chained or tethered dog receive sufficient care. Tethered dogs suffer from sporadic feedings, overturned water bowls, inadequate veterinary care, and extreme temperatures. During snow storms, these dogs often have no access to shelter.



During periods of extreme heat, they may not receive adequate water or protection from the sun. What's more, because their often neurotic behavior makes them difficult to approach, chained dogs are rarely given even minimal affection. Tethered dogs may become "part of the scenery" and can be easily ignored by their owners.



9. Are the areas in which tethered dogs are confined usually comfortable? No, because the dogs have to eat, sleep, urinate and defecate in a single confined area. Owners who chains their dogs are also less likely to clean the area. Although there may have once been grass in an area of confinement, it is usually so beaten down by the dog's pacing that the ground consists of nothing but dirt or mud.



10. But how else can people confine dogs? The HSUS recommends that all dogs be kept indoors at night, taken on regular walks, and otherwise provided with adequate attention, food, water and veterinary care. If an animal must be housed outside at certain times, he should be placed in a suitable pen with adequate square footage and shelter from the elements.



11. Should chaining or tethering ever be allowed? To become well-adjusted companion animals, dogs should interact regularly with people and other animals, and should receive regular exercise. It is an owner's responsibility to properly restrain her dog, just as it is the owner's responsibility to provide adequate attention and socialization. Placing an animal on a restraint to get fresh air can be acceptable if it is done for a short period. However, keeping an animal tethered for long periods is never acceptable.



12. If a dog is chained or tethered for a period of time, can it be done humanely? Animals who must be kept on a tether should be secured in such a way that the tether cannot become entangled with other objects. Collars used to attach an animal should be comfortable and properly fitted; choke chains should never be used. Restraints should allow the animal to move about and lie down comfortably. Animals should never be tethered during natural disasters such as floods, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes or blizzards.



13. What about attaching a dog's leash to a "pulley run"? Attaching a dog's leash to a long line—such as a clothesline or a manufactured device known as a pulley run—and letting the animal have a larger area in which to explore is preferable to tethering the dog to a stationary object. However, many of the same problems associated with tethering still apply, including attacks on or by other animals, lack of socialization and safety.



14. What can be done to correct the problem of tethering dogs? More than 100 communities in more than 30 states have passed laws that regulate the practice of tethering animals. Maumelle, Ark., and Tucson, Ariz., completely prohibit the unattended tethering of dogs. Many other communities only allow tethering for limited periods of time or during certain conditions. Orange County, Fla., for example, does not allow tethering between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or during times of extreme weather.



15. Why should a community outlaw the continuous chaining or tethering of dogs? Animal control and humane agencies receive countless calls every day from citizens concerned about animals in these cruel situations. Animal control officers, paid at taxpayer expense, spend many hours trying to educate pet owners about the dangers and cruelty involved in this practice.



A chained animal is caught in a vicious cycle; frustrated by long periods of boredom and social isolation, he becomes a neurotic shell of his former self—further deterring human interaction and kindness. In the end, the helpless dog can only suffer the frustration of watching the world go by in isolation—a cruel fate for what is by nature a highly social animal. Any city, county, or state that bans this practice is a safer, more humane community.

WV - Cruelty - Consolidated Cruelty Statutes Continued.

WV - Dangerous - West Virginia Dangerous Dog Provisions: These West Virginia statutes provide that any person who owns or harbors any dog, cat or other domesticated animal, whether licensed or unlicensed, which bites any person, shall confine and quarantine the animal for a period of ten days for rabies observation. The state apparently has a prohibition against owning a dangerous dog, such that no person shall own, keep or harbor any dog known by him to be vicious, dangerous, or in the habit of biting or attacking other persons, whether or not such dog wears a tag or muzzle. However, another section provides that any person who keeps a dog which is generally considered to be vicious, for the purpose of protection, shall acquire a special license therefor from the county assessor and then keep the dog restrained/enclosed.

WV - Dogs - Consolidated Dog Laws: These West Virginia statutes comprise the state's dog laws. Among the provisions include registration requirements, rabies control, and hunting laws that impact dogs.

WV - Cruelty - Consolidated Cruelty Statutes.

These West Virginia statutes comprise the state's anti-cruelty and animal fighting provisions. If any person cruelly mistreats, abandons or withholds proper sustenance, including food, water, shelter or medical treatment, necessary to sustain normal health and fitness or to end suffering or abandons any animal to die, or uses, trains or possesses any domesticated animal for the purpose of seizing, detaining or maltreating any other domesticated animal, he or she is guilty of a misdemeanor. If any person intentionally tortures or maliciously kills an animal, or causes, procures or authorizes any other person to torture or maliciously kill an animal, he or she is guilty of a felony. The provisions of this section do not apply to lawful acts of hunting, fishing, trapping or animal training or farm livestock, poultry, gaming fowl or wildlife kept in private or licensed game farms if kept and maintained according to usual and accepted standards of livestock, poultry, gaming fowl or wildlife or game farm production and management. The section also prohibits animal fighting as a misdemeanor unless the animals involved were wild game or fur-bearing animals, in which case it becomes a felony.

WV - Dangerous - Dogs chasing deer. This West Virginia statute mandates that no person shall permit his dog to hunt or chase deer. A conservation officer shall take into possession any dog known to have hunted or chased deer and the director shall advertise that such dog is in his possession, giving a description of the dog and stating the circumstances under which it was taken. The owner then has ten days to reclaim the dog. If after a bona fide but unsuccessful effort to capture dogs detected chasing or pursuing deer, an officer may kill the offending dogs.