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Activists want stiffer animal cruelty laws in N.C.

Friday, March 12, 2010
(Updated Saturday, March 13 - 6:10 am)
By Jennifer Fernandez
Staff Writer

GREENSBORO — Meet Susie — the poster dog for animal rights in North Carolina.

You might remember her as the badly burned and beaten puppy found in a south Greensboro park last summer . The pit bull-shepherd mix captured the hearts of many, and they rallied to save her.

Now Susie’s supporters will gather Sunday to rally again — this time to advocate for tougher animal cruelty laws in North Carolina. They’re going door-to-door in Guilford County with information on the state’s laws, which allowed Susie’s abuser to get off with what they say is a light sentence.

Earlier this month, a judge sentenced Lashawn Whitehead to probation for felony animal cruelty, a judgment that followed the state’s structured sentencing laws. Whitehead, 21 , also received six to eight months in prison for setting personal property on fire. That personal property was Susie.

“We want everybody to understand how minimal the penalties are for cruelty to animals,” said Roberta Wall , a Greensboro real estate agent who fostered Susie until she was placed in a permanent home with Donna Lawrence .

“Some of these people get by with it ... and it’s just not fair,” Lawrence said. “These poor innocent animals are suffering for it. We have to be the voice for them.”

Under structured sentencing, the judge did not have the option to give Whitehead prison time on the cruelty charge, which is a Class I felony, the lowest level.

Under what has been dubbed “Susie’s Law,” that charge would be bumped up to a Class F felony, which allows a judge to hand out an active prison sentence.

State Sen. Don Vaughan , a Greensboro Democrat , is amending a bill that deals with puppy mills to include stiffer penalties for felony animal cruelty. Legislators will consider the amended bill when they resume work in May , he said.

Vaughan wants to take Susie to Raleigh so fellow legislators can see what happened to her as they consider the bill.

“It’s just hard to believe that this poor dog was tortured as she was and lived,” Vaughan said Thursday . “What I’d like to do is make something good come out of a terrible situation.”

Wall and Lawrence want people to write their legislators . They’ve created a sample letter, which they want supporters to deliver to neighborhoods along with fliers detailing Susie’s abuse and the outcome of her court case.

They’ve used Facebook and other social media and reached out to animal rights groups to get the word out about Sunday’s canvass.

“I think it’s going to make an impact,” said Lawrence, who plans to take Susie with her on Sunday. “I’m excited about getting this law changed. We really need this. It’s just not fair to the animals.”

Contact Jennifer Fernandez at 373-7064 or jennifer.fernandez@news-record.com

Accompanying Photos

Jerry Wolford (News & Record)

Photo Caption: Susie was brought into a Guilford County courtroom March 1 during Lashawn Whitehead's hearing.

Want to help?

Pick up letters and fliers about “Susie’s Law” to distribute in your neighborhood at:

Guilford County Animal Shelter, 4525 W. Wendover Ave .

Allen Tate Realtors, 303-C Pisgah Church Road

Kutting Edge Salon, 5563 W. Market St.

For more information, contact roberta@gsohomes.com or stefanie milroy@yahoo.com.

Comments

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51chopper

March 11, 2010 - 9:20 pm EST

This is great news. We do have to get together and change the laws. Animal Cruelty is rampant in NC and especially in Guilford County. A woman chained her dog to a tree and then starved it to death. She is charged with Misdemeanor Animal Cruelty. Her preliminary hearing is March 17 in the AM. Check www.dogsdeservebetter.com for details.

JoeScott

March 12, 2010 - 7:01 am EST

Chopper,

Do you have anything to prove that animal cruelty is especially rampant in Guilford County? Facts? Even statistics, maybe? I own a dog, love the little guy to death, and abhor animal cruelty. That said, I also love Guilford County, and would hate for people to believe something negative about it without any proof.

manxcatlover

March 12, 2010 - 7:26 am EST

There's a news article (not an editorial) on it in the N&R written this past January:

http://www.news-record.com/content/2010/01/10/article/people_are_sick_an...

578 cases of neglect and cruelty in only 7 months

Panacea

March 12, 2010 - 7:59 am EST

That, at least, is data.

JoeScott

March 12, 2010 - 10:32 am EST

I read that story, and re-read it just now. There is nothing there that states animal cruelty is rampant "especially in Guilford County."

Panacea

March 12, 2010 - 4:35 pm EST

No, but it is data towards a conclusion.

There were 133 aggravated assaults in Guilford County, 442 in High Point, and 1236 in Greensboro in 2008. Folks consider crime to be a serious problem in North Carolina. 578 cases of neglect and cruelty . . . that were filed and charged, may not be "rampant" compared to crimes against humans. But it is a significant number.

sir william

March 12, 2010 - 9:49 am EST

Statistics and proof are not needed, just pay attention to the news reports!

JoeScott

March 12, 2010 - 10:33 am EST

Proof is usually needed for me to believe in anything. Sorry if that sounds crazy to you, Sir William.

Panacea

March 12, 2010 - 4:35 pm EST

Proof is always needed to support a claim.

51chopper

March 12, 2010 - 8:09 am EST

JoeScott-------Please visit the Guilford County Animal Shelter. Talk to the staff and volunteers. They are doing a great job. Guilford County is way ahead of other communities in their treatment of animals. But the un-seen cruelty and death is going on everyday in the back yards of our neighborhoods. Susie's story and the up-coming case I mentioned in my first comment are just the ones in the media. The number of animals euthanized in North Carolina Animal Shelters each year is number 3 in the Country. And this is just the ones that Animal Control picks up. Many others die at the end of their chains and are dumped in the trash. This is appalling.

jeffic_fail

March 12, 2010 - 10:26 am EST

Maybe Joe Scott should have researched this topic himself posting his comment. Jeffic Fail!

JoeScott

March 12, 2010 - 10:33 am EST

Maybe Jeffic needs to learn a new joke. Tired catch-phrase.

Habitat4Dogs

March 12, 2010 - 1:36 am EST

If you are set on buying a puppy please download and read, “How To Buy A Puppy” before you consider parting with your money. It is free at howtobuyapuppy.net

Buying a puppy without problems is harder than most people think. Finding a responsible and knowledgeable breeder is very difficult.
www.howtobuyapuppy.net

51chopper

March 12, 2010 - 6:35 am EST

Excuse me----"A Responsible and Knowledgeable Breeder?"----- Puppies Aren't Products, period!!!! Most people know to avoid "Puppy Mills". But many kind individuals fall prey to the picket-fence appeal of so-called "responsible" breeders and fail to recognize that no matter how kindly a breeder treats his or her animals, as long as dogs and cats are dying in animal shelters because of a lack of homes, no breeding can be considered "responsible".

holland4

March 12, 2010 - 7:27 am EST

Meddling busybodies like yourself should at least educate themselves before making such sweeping, generalized statements. That's like saying that it's environmentally and financially irresponsible to buy a new car when so many used car lots are filled with older cars. It's none of your business if I choose to buy a purebred family dog from a breeder recommended by a specific dog breed club. None of your darn business.

There are countless responsible breeders across the state of North Carolina. They promote the health and wellbeing of specific breeds. Yet there are also many irresponsible mills. Unfortunately, the bill sponsored by Sen. Vaughn unfairly targets the good guys and needs to be changed before it harms the responsible hobby breeders. No amount of additional government rules and regulations will cause the punks to comply. Sort of like new gun laws. Criminals don't shake in their boots when additional gun laws are passed. They ignore them while it hurts the good guys.

Educating potential dog buyers is the key. Learn to avoid the idiots who don't know what they're doing. If you want to get a rescue dog, fine. If I'd rather buy a pure breed from a reputable hobby breeder, that's my business.

Panacea

March 12, 2010 - 8:07 am EST

Gotta agree with holland on this. As long as we use animals as pets, for agricultural, or for research purposes, then those animals are indeed products. Because they are living, feeling creatures, they do deserve protection under the law. But they are not human beings, and to overly humanize them is a disservice to the animal.

Many people enjoy working with specific breeds. There is no reason why they should not do so. Since so many rescue dogs are mixed with breeds many would prefer to avoid (like pit bulls), there are legitimate grounds for breeders to do business.

Puppy mills are another matter; they are not humane operations. They are animal factories. Since they supply most, if not all, pet stores, part of the solution to that problem is educating the potential market. Which activists like the Humane Society are doing.

Sorry you don't like breeders, but as long as the animals are being care for properly, your sensitivities 51 chopper don't get to override my choices.

That being said, I support the proposal to stiffen penalties for animal cruelty. There is no excuse for it.

d_random

March 12, 2010 - 9:33 am EST

And that is precisely why animal abuse laws are so weak, because animals are seen in the law as "products" or "personal property".

Panacea

March 12, 2010 - 4:44 pm EST

Laws can be strengthened. I don't condone animal cruelty, far from it. But how else would you classify them other than property?

d_random

March 12, 2010 - 9:21 am EST

"Responsible breeder" is an oxymoron. How can this be responsible behavior when N.C. alone euthanizes a quarter of a million dogs and cats a year? When you buy, a shelter dog dies.

JoeScott

March 12, 2010 - 10:35 am EST

No, when people buy dogs and refuse to get them fixed, a shelter dog dies.

51chopper

March 12, 2010 - 11:29 am EST

JoeScott----Several thousand Shelter Dogs, many are socialized & adoptable, were put to death last year here in Guilford County at the Guilford County Animal Shelter. There aren't enough homes for them and there is no room to house them all because more keep coming into the shelter. Intentionally breeding animals in an environment such as this is NOT RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR. You touched on Spay/neuter, you are 100% right-on with that. But it should be MANDATORY SPAY/NEUTER!!

manxcatlover

March 12, 2010 - 7:16 am EST

It's 2010, and about time our animal cruelty laws came up to date. Any place where torturing a puppy nearly to the point of death is only punishable by probation time needs better laws. The fact that he only got jail time because of "setting personal property on fire" is appalling!

SJELG07

March 12, 2010 - 7:19 am EST

Chopper is right actually. I volunteer with the Guilford County animal shelter and you would not BELIEVE the countless number of animals that come in DAILY that have been mistreated and abused. Many times, however, charges cannot be filed against the person that did it, many times because little information is known. Animal control just drops the animal off. It's seriously appalling. If every single animal that came in abused was brought to media attention, the papers would be flooded. Many people do not know what our laws are regarding animals in NC. In Susie's case, her abuser received 4-5 months, suspended sentence (probation) for a Class I felony of Cruelty to Animals. We want Cruelty to Animals to be reclassified as a Class F felony, instead of the current Class I felony, in which the sentencing would carry an active prison sentence. The Burning of Personal Property in NC is a Class H felony which carries an active prison sentence. So if Whitehead had burned a couch, he would have received tougher penalties than he did by burning and torturing Susie. The Prosecuter in Susie’s case was able to get a little time for “Burning of Personal Property” because our current Cruelty to Animals law carries very little punishment

d_random

March 12, 2010 - 9:35 am EST

Join us in strengthening animal laws...NORTH CAROLINA VOTERS for ANIMAL WELFARE. http://ncvaw.org

Waldo Leidecker

March 12, 2010 - 1:50 pm EST

Anyone who would abuse an animal would just as quickly abuse a child or a senior citizen. If the judges that hear these cases want to do some real good they should start making examples of some of the human pond scum that are guilty of these crimes - screw the "sentencing guidelines." Better yet, make sure they end up in the same prison cell with someone 6'7" and 340 pounds with a very "unpleasent" temper (preferably boarder line psycho) - then they'll know how the poor defenseless animal feels.

daydreamer

March 12, 2010 - 1:50 pm EST

Animal cruelty is alive and well in Guilford county, I've seen it with my own eyes. Alot of people need to open their eyes including animal control. We lost our family pet to a pitbull who was chained up and just used for breeding. That is not called love that is called cruelty! Just because you throw some food at the animal once in a while it doesn't mean you are being a good pet owner. Pets need alot more than, and it's about time we do something about this.

grandma

March 12, 2010 - 4:41 pm EST

I agree that animal cruelty is wrong, but I wish someone would stand up for kids that are abused. You can get almost as much time for hurting an animal as you can a child.

manxcatlover

March 14, 2010 - 6:04 pm EDT

Really? If someone beat a child for 15 minutes then set them on fire, they'd only get probation?

If so we need BOTH, better laws against animal cruelty and against child abuse.

LaLaAndrew

March 12, 2010 - 9:53 pm EST

After reading all of these comments, there is no doubt what the problem is with over population and cruelty to animals. It, no doubt, is ignorance and stupidity. Scary to think these same people are producing children.

justakidd2

March 14, 2010 - 7:40 pm EDT

Seems to me that anyone who is so adamant about "stats" for animal cruelty is really not interested in solving the problem. As someone who works with animals everyday, I see it all the time - abused and neglected animals on a daily basis. Sorry, cannot give you "stats", but to me everyday viewing of this is pretty rampant in my book.
If you do not want to take proper care of an animal, here's a thought - don't get one, you certainly are not doing them any favors.

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