tagged w/ CASH REWARD
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Police charged 2 teens Monday with dousing pit bull with gasoline, setting it on fire
Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III said Tuesday that a pit bull doused with gasoline and set on fire last month may have been part of a dogfighting operation.
Police charged two teenagers in connection with the crime, but few details have been released as police and prosecutors pore over evidence.
"I understand there are still some concerns about some of the things that [prosecutors] are looking for us to do in continuing with the investigation, but I'm confident that we have the right guys based on all that I've heard," Bealefeld said.
Bealefeld said there were indications that dogfighting "may have been at the core" of the case, but declined to elaborate. There had been previous reports that the dog had bite marks on its body.
Because the suspects were charged as juveniles, their identities are not made public, though television news reports identified the suspects as 17-year-old twin brothers. Their parents appeared on camera outside the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center maintaining the boys' innocence, saying they were turned in for the reward money.
Debra Rahl, programs director for Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARC) -
"We were all very excited to hear that there was an arrest made, and we're just hoping there's justice for Phoenix," Rahl said. "We're still very sad that she did not make it, but she didn't die in vain. It raised awareness of what happens with animals here in the city and across the country."
Police officer Syreeta Teel found the dog engulfed in flames May 27 in the 1600 block of Presbury St. in the Sandtown Winchester neighborhood. Teel, who owns a pit bull and received an honor from the city last week for her actions, threw her sweat shirt over the dog to extinguish the flames.
Phoenix suffered burns on 95 percent of her body and was taken to BARCS, where officials called it one of the most severe cases of animal cruelty they had ever seen.
She was eventually transported to the Metropolitan Veterinary Associates center outside Philadelphia to receive 24-hour care. Caregivers noted that Phoenix remained in good spirits despite her condition, wagging her tail as she was treated.
Extensive burns caused so much swelling around her face and rear quarters that, according to nurse Julie Hirsch, the dog was "barely recognizable," and she began to experience kidney failure. After determining the dog had little chance of a long-term recovery, hospital staff took Phoenix outside to be euthanized, hoping that a little flicker of sunshine would give her some happiness, Hirsch said.
Rahl said the reward money will not be paid until a conviction is secured. Some of the money also went to the Franky Fund, which helps care for homeless pets.Police charged 2 teens Monday with dousing pit bull with gasoline, setting it on fire... more
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BALTIMORE, Maryland (WUSA)--The reward fund for the dog set on fire, while bystanders did nothing, has jumped from $15,500 on Wednesday to $25,500 Monday, June 8th.
9NEWS Now first reported Wednesday, May 27 that the 1-year-old pit bull, nicknamed both Phoenix and Miss Mercy, was found in southern Baltimore by an alert police officer fully ablaze. Someone doused the dog in gasoline and then set her on fire. Bystanders witnessed the act, and it's reported some were even laughing as the dog burned.
"Her tongue, her eyes, her pads are scorched off, her vulva, unbelievable. We are speechless, and overwhelmed with emotion," said Dr. Marcella Bonner of Swan Animal Hospital.
After treating the dog in Baltimore, Dr. Bonner sent her to Main Line Animal Rescue in Chester Spring, Pennsylvania--a special care facility.
It was Baltimore Police officer, Syreet Teel, who came to Phoenix's rescue. She was patrolling Presbury Street when she saw the dog. Teel has a pet pit bull named Blu.
"We saw this dog in flames, [she] was screaming and rolling around fully in flames," said Teel. "It was sad because I'd never heard a dog make the sound, the scream [she] made. I've never heard it before and it was just cruel.
"[She] was fully in flames. There were people around, but nobody was doing anything. So, I got out of the car, took off my sweater, and started hitting [her] to put the fire out," said Officer Teel.
"We could smell it in the air," said Linda Mackey a witness.
Linda Mackey and Meredith Sickle were volunteering in the neighborhood when they noticed a horrifying ball of flames.
"We were so appalled anything like that could happen and there were actually people in the street standing and laughing like it was entertainment for them," said Sickle.
Bonner says she's handled several similar cases in the past.
Her pet "Apple" was also set on fire.
Bonner warns animal cruelty is widespread but it can be prevented.
"This is an epidemic, do something about it. There's power in numbers, power if we all ban together as a community to get this to stop," she said
-- Unfortunately, Phoenix/Miss Mercy had to be euthanized on Sunday, May 31 because her kidneys were shutting down.
BARCS (Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter) started a reward fund for anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual (s) responsible for setting Phoenix/Miss Mercy on fire.BALTIMORE, Maryland (WUSA)--The reward fund for the dog set on fire, while bystanders... more
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In a town where bears are everywhere from decorations at the corner bar...to real life next-door-neighbors, bear county is an understatement.
So when news spread that two bears may have been unethically killed near the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary near Orr, area hunters down the road could barely stomach it.
"It's not right," said Robert Gross, visiting from St. Paul.
"You abide by the rules," said his brother Mark. "This is one out of a million that something like this would happen."
The first dead bear was found Saturday, shot once and left untouched. The second was found a day later, skinned with his head and paws cut off.
"There's hunters and then there are what we call the poachers, these guys are the worst of the worst," said Dennis Udovich, President of Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary.
But what bothers staff even more is that the bears were killed so close to sanctuary grounds--making them believe the hunters waited for bears to leave the protected land, so they could legally shoot them on public land.
"The bears are real relaxed in this area, so it's not a challenge," said Udovich.
"All you have to do is sit on the travel corridor and pick and chose which bear you want," said Klari Lea, Vice President of Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary. "It's a highway and that's unfair and it's not ethical."
Unethical? Perhaps. But illegal? Not quite. The DNR is investigating for possible wanton waste charges.
"It's slob hunting, definitely slob hunting," said Mark Gross. His brother agrees.
"If you are going to kill something you should probably plan on eating it," said Robert Gross.
Now perhaps the most talked about hunt...is for the responsible hunters themselves.
"We want to get these slime balls," said Udovich. "I mean they are given all good hunters a bad name."
There is a $2,225 reward for information on the suspects. If you have any information, a tipline has been set up at 1-800-652-9093.
VIDEO:
http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S591589.shtml?cat=10335
In a town where bears are everywhere from decorations at the corner bar...to real life... more
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Radio stations, business people and elderly women are among those who have chipped in $25,000 as a reward to catch a man who bashed a kangaroo.
The RSPCA last week launched a national hunt for the young man shown beating a kangaroo unconscious in an online video.
This week, information on the kangaroo kicker, and offers of financial support have flooded in.
"I received a donation from a little old lady," RSPCA spokesman Richard Barry said.
"It was addressed, 'To Richard, here's $50, I hope you catch the bastards'."
Mr Barry said the RSPCA had already received $25,000 for its reward fund, including a $10,000 contribution from a Perth businessman, who said the RSPCA could keep the money as a donation if the reward did not need to be paid.
Mr Barry confirmed other donors would get a refund if the reward was not required.
"We received another $5000 from Howard Sattler's 6PR Drive program, which is owned by Fairfax Media, and at least another $5000 from individuals," he said.
Mr Barry said RSPCA had received "hundreds of leads", but that not all were high quality.
"The problem is there's a lot of people reporting others who have been looking at the vision on a mobile phone, so it's a matter of sorting the wheat from the chaff," he said.
The sickening video, initially sent to the RSPCA in Western Australia, shows the man kickboxing the animal as his friend laughs while filming.
In one scene, the man pulls the kangaroo toward him and knees the creature in the chest.
Punches are swung into the kangaroo's face with great force as the animal struggles to remain standing.
The final punch knocks the kangaroo to the ground, where it appears to lie unconscious.
It is unclear whether the attack resulted in the animal's death.
Mr Barry said the man in the video was between 17 and 20 years old.
The man could be charged under the Animal Welfare Act with cruelty to animals.
He could face a five-year jail term and a $50,000 fine if found guilty in Western Australia.
On Friday night, West Australian Police searched a country property after a tip-off that the resident was the man in the video. That man was subsequently cleared.
Anyone with information about the attack should call the RSPCA Animal Cruelty line on 1300 278 3589 or (08) 9209 9300.
WAtoday.com.au
VIDEO: http://media.smh.com.au/?rid=41649
REWARD INFO: http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/25000-reward-for-kangaroo-boxer/2008/09/15/1221330735189.htmlRadio stations, business people and elderly women are among those who have chipped in... more
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ALBUQUERQUE POLICE SAY A MAN HAS BEEN BREAKING INTO A LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER -- AND SAY HE DID SOMETHING VERY DISTURBING.
http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/playlist/87/678432
INVESTIGATORS SAY THE MAN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AT LEAST ONE DOG.
NOW THEY'RE CHECKING UP ON KNOWN SEX OFFENDERS TO SEE IF ANY OF THEM HAVE A HISTORY OF SEXUALLY ABUSING ANIMALS.
DETECTIVES SAY ITS AT LEAST ONCE IN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS... SOMEONE BROKE IN OVERNIGHT AND SODOMIZED A DOG.
POLICE SAY SOMEONE BROKE INTO THE DOG KENNELS AT THE HUMANE ASSOCIATION SHELTER NEAR WYOMING AND ZUNI FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS . THEY SAY AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE TIMES THE BURGLAR SEXUALLY ASSAULTED A DOG 'during the middle of july there was some evidence that one of the animlas there had been sodomized' .
POLICE SAY VETS AT THE SHELTER CONFIRMED THE ABUSE DURING EXAMS. BUT OFFICIALS WITH THE HUMANE ASSOCIATION WONT TALK ABOUT THE BREAK-INS AND THE ABUSE ON CAMERA... THEY SAY THEY ARE WORRIED IT WILL KEEP PEOPLE FROM COMING HERE TO ADOPT PETS.
DOG LOVERS OUTSIDE THE SHELTER. ' I don't have any words for it maybe it exists but I don't know it''its pretty sick I think I cant even fathom somebody doing that'
THE CASE HAS BEEN TURNED OVER TO THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT'S SEX OFFENDER UNIT. DETECTIVES THINK THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT ANYONE WHO WOULD DO THIS IS A SEX OFFENDER... MAYBE EVEN ONE WHO'S REGISTERED...'it's a pretty specific liking and of course there are some people who do have that in their backgrounds and of course we'll be checking up on that'
NOW DETECTIVES ARE HOPING THE SUSPECT MAY HAVE LEFT EVIDENCE THAT WILL LEAD TO HIS ARREST 'the animal did go through a SANE exam which is similar to what a victim would go through in a rape case that evidence has been processed yet so I don't know if there is any dna evidence there' .
DEPUTIES SAY IF THE SUSPECT IS CAUGHT HE WILL FACE BESTIALITY CHARGES. THE DOG DID SUFFER MINOR INJURIES BUT IS EXPECTED TO BE OKAY.
IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING -- JUST CALL CRIME STOPPERS AT 8-4-3- STOP. THERE'S A TOTAL OF $7,000 IN REWARD MONEY FOR INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO AN ARREST AND CONVICTION. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE SAY A MAN HAS BEEN BREAKING INTO A LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER -- AND SAY... more
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