Today I mourn the suicides of 2 women and ask all who truly care about animals to give this case some thought. May all the deceased in this case, both human and animal, find peace on the other side of the veil and my sympathies go out to the families of these women. We who live on still have much to learn...
Department of Agriculture spokesman Terrance McElroy said, sadly, the case is not an isolated incident in Florida . "With the economic downturn, there is no question that more animals are being neglected. More people are being neglected in terms of getting the food and health care they need. People are struggling to afford to take care of themselves, and so they can't afford to care for their animals."
“Ten horses, a donkey, a goat, a bull and two dogs were seized” A horse had been reported shot and another horse carcass was found. Another horse died after being removed from the property and three others had to be euthanized . There is no doubt at all that most, perhaps all, these animals were in desperate shape.
"But we aggressively investigate these cases. Animals can't fight for themselves," [Lt. Doug] York added. Yes, how aggressive you can be is becoming rather obvious and Lt. York there are many humans who cannot fight for themselves either. It certainly appears your office found 2 such women to "aggress". Aren't you proud?
The women had been charged with 28 counts of animal abuse and cruelty… Officers had contact with the woman on Nov. 14, 2009, Seay said. Investigators believe the suicides occurred two days later. That they were not found for nearly 3 months speaks to their obvious isolation and I wonder if that was a result of the accusations or already existed. I suspect the latter was exacerbated by the former.
Two Union County women who had been accused in an animal cruelty case apparently committed suicide. Even in death, the media can’t resist painting them as animal abusers. Well, I guess that suicide wouldn't be news without that connection as we allow people to become isolated, desperate, and to kill themselves on a daily basis. In fact, we encourage it more with every passing day.
"The animals were in bad shape. I don't know why [Brown and Vetterlein] wanted that much responsibility with the animals," [Charlie] Clemons [former employee who cared for the animals] said. If he doesn’t know, it’s likely we will never know. What can easily be discerned from the internet is that these 2 women were painted as sub-human, as “cruel” to animals, that ALL of their animals were seized, that they were charged with 28 counts of cruelty for what may well have been neglect stemming from their own tragedies of life.
Some toss out words like neglect, abuse, and cruelty as if they are interchangeable. They are not and they do not begin to describe the underlying circumstances that may well exist. I believe that those who truly care about animals should choose their allegations carefully, distinguish between neglect and cruelty which infers intent to cause severe harm. Do not paint someone as cruel until the facts have been fleshed out and, even then, in the interests of the animals, the focus should be on caring for the animals, providing them with help and helping to resolve the human issues as that will benefit the animals.
Many “hoarding” cases are the lonely, the isolated who are trying to provide to animals the same which is missing in their own lives: someone who cares and loves, food, shelter – just the basics. There is no intent to harm in most of these cases.
Aggressive investigations, massive over charging of crimes, publicly defaming people… These things do not help, they hurt. It is easy to hate and rail, to spam the internet with alleged atrocities. Please, if you care for animals, reach out to help them and their owners instead of getting caught up in the PETA hatred.
The hot topic is still sending aid to Haiti, a country we’ve sent billions of dollars to, tried to help and build several times only to be evicted time and again. Haiti did not recognize rape as a crime until 2005 and still does not respect women even nominally, let alone animals. Life of all kinds is cheap in Haiti. We do not see that because it is distant. We see the pain and suffering after a disaster and we want to reach out and help.
How about a tiny bit of reality and understanding right here at home? How about reaching out to the humans and animals in need here? Even if you care nothing for the humans, only the animals; wouldn’t it help the animals to recognize and help with the underlying human issues instead of driving people into further desperation and isolation because, where the humans go, the animals usually follow?
So my plea is that the animal lovers out there ask questions, not make assumptions based on sensationalized media reports, to think twice before hitting send on an email or posting filled with unfounded (or even poorly founded) accusations and hatred. Do not support “aggressiveness” toward animal owners as it helps no one and often results in even more death, of humans and animals. We’ll never know if the animals in this particular case could have been saved instead of euthanized but that is all too often the case. There simply has to be a better way and we need to find it.
Killing and hatred is what THEY do best. Let US be better than that.