As much as animal organizations and defenders of those who have no voice do not cease their fight because negligent owners and abusers pay for their cruelty, sadly the cases of abuse proliferate more and more.
The ordeal in which more than 50 puppies lived in a miserable home in the Utica, New York area, came to light a few months ago. Not only the shocking scenes they found outraged rescuers, but the fact that despite the evidence of abuse, the law did not seem to be on the side of the innocent little animals.
The angels of the ANNA Shelter Animal Cruelty Division were called to change the fate of fifty puppies that lived in deplorable conditions, in November 2018.
The 50 puppies were absolutely emaciated to the point of starvation because they lived in a household where extreme poverty prevailed.
ANNA denounced the events on her social networks at the time, and 3 months ago, a year after the rescue, she revealed that although they still had not claimed victory, at least there was already a couple accused of the negligence of the furry innocents.
Barbara Ferguson and Samuel López are the subjects who pleaded guilty to 10 counts of animal abuse each, 20 in total. The plea agreement with the court established 14 years of supervision for each defendant, respectively, a time during which they would be absolutely prohibited from owning pets.
Ferguson is 72 years old, so he will be under supervision until he is 86 years old. While López, 75, will remain under surveillance until he turns 89.
The pet ownership exclusion clause would try to ensure that fiends never harm another animal again.
In the ANNA Shelter offices you can read the following legend:
“When a human dies, there is a bridge they must cross to enter Heaven. At the end of the bridge, all the animals they found during their lives are waiting for them. The animals, based on what they know about this person, decide which humans can cross the bridge and which are rejected,” something that has moved many after this story went viral.
Many think that would be fair…
After the 50 dogs were rescued, they were all placed in foster homes, so shelter officials urged those kind souls to appear at trial to reveal the traumas each of the puppies had to overcome, now They have a new life with their owners.
Theo is a puppy who lived for 3 years in a shed full of feces and dirt, never seeing sunlight or stepping on the grass.
His new owner appeared at the trial to testify that the puppy is still terrified of humans…
While Birdie was a little dog who was thought to be dead when she was found locked in a bird cage under newspapers, unable to move. As a result of her abuse, she lost both eyes, but she has finally managed to overcome her trauma and be happy, her owner revealed at trial.
Theo and Birdie are just 2 names, but each puppy has its story and the most severe traumas
After the trial that happened in December 2019, at the end of January the shelter has re-published an update on the case.
“Justice was served today,” the shelter wrote.
“A Venango County judge this morning sentenced the two people responsible for starving, abusing, torturing and failing to provide medical care to the 51 dogs we rescued in March. The couple was sentenced to 14 years probation where they cannot own, sell, barter, trade or house animals,” they added.
They said that 7 other families who adopted these dogs came to give their victims a voice. “It was moving to hear their testimony and stories of physical and emotional recovery.”
But the most outrageous thing is that despite the crude images presented, the testimonies and the presence of the abused puppies, the couple will be spared from going to prison .
One of the officers in the case, agent Eric Duckett, is totally frustrated, and thinks that the judge was benevolent because the heartless were a couple of old men who would finish their sentence at almost 90 years of age, and who also lived in extreme poverty.
“In all my years of work I have not yet seen anyone serving one in prison,” he said.
Share this news to raise your voice, does being an elderly person justify committing such acts of cruelty against animals? They should be ashamed, and justice, be implacable, regardless of age or condition. Enough already!