Did I get your attention? It's the kind of headline millions of people would love to see. Maybe one day Congress and the President will decide it's time to really act on animal cruelty, dog-fighting and the laughable level of enforcement and even more ludicrous level of punishment for crimes which impact not only the animals but every human being in the vicinity of these crimes. Animal abusers rarely stop there.
Rapper DMX (Earl Simmons) is just the latest in a line of animal abusing dogfighters who continue to get away with destruction of, violence towards and degradation of living creatures. When he was sentenced to 90 days in jail for three felonies, dog- slaughter wasn't among them. That was simply an additional misdemeanor. When Maricopa County officials raided his home last August and confiscated a dozen malnourished pit bulls chained in a yard all bearing fighting scars they also found three dogs buried in a makeshift grave, with evidence of being maimed and burned. That didn't count as a felony, unlike the drug and gun possession charges.
It wasn't the first time that DMX, who has glorified the violence and terror of dog-fighting in his music and in the artwork of his CD's, has had dogs confiscated. In 2002, a raid on his New Jersey home uncovered 13 neglected, caged fighting dogs.
Problem is that animal cruelty and animal abuse is simply not important to district attorneys, it isn't significant enough to state or federal lawmakers to make it a felony, and police departments often drop the ball on investigations relating to animal cruelty even though they know, better than anyone, that animal abusers are probably abusing family members or partners. And that kids who are burning puppies and sticking kittens in a microwave will probably grow up to hurt a human being. Animal care and control agencies who do actively follow up and investigate their own 597's (that's Califonia code for animal abuse) often find the local DA unenthusiastic about the case. What's it going to take?
It's going to take the kind of effort that doesn't exist right now. It's going to take the creation of an animal safety department at federal level, it's going to take a commitment from Congress to end puppy mills and enforcement actions to ensure it, it's going to take a few high profile guys like the sports celebrities and the rappers taking a stand against cruelty. We need enforceable regulation on the importation of exotic animals. That chimp in your cousin's apartment in Queens? Not a great idea. And it's going to take a change from the inside out - AKC and breeding clubs and organizations need to work together with animal welfare advocates to shut down the mills, ensuring that 'good' breeding operations continue. And civilians, not law enforcement, should run animal shelters, be empowered to run investigations and when they meet with their DA - that he or she says ' Yes, we're going to go for this'.
DMX meanwhile while be heading back to Florida to serve his piddling 90 days - the judge agreed to his request not to serve his time in Arizona. Seems the poor guy has gout and will do so much better in the Florida climate.
It's a sad situation. Yes it is.
Posted by: Deb in Minnesota | February 27, 2009 at 09:20 AM
Oops, I should have said that it is an OUTRAGEOUS situation. Kitty corrected me.
Posted by: Deb in Minnesota | February 27, 2009 at 09:21 AM