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| PETA DEMANDS CHARGES FOR ALLEGED CUSTER DOG, CAT ABUSERS |
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For Immediate Release: Contact: Custer, Mich. --- Today, PETA sent a plea to Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Chris J. Van Oosterum, urging him to promptly charge and vigorously prosecute an unnamed Custer Township couple. The appeal stems from authorities’ reported October 29 and November 2 discoveries of 45 severely neglected dogs and cats languishing at the suspects’ puppy mill. “The odor was overwhelming,” Mason County Animal Control’s Lisa Greenlee told news sources. “[T]hey were soaked in feces and urine. There were very unhealthy conditions.” The animals were reportedly confined three to each small, dark cage, stored between the couple’s unheated barn and garage. “People who demonstrate such blatant disregard for life and desensitization to suffering can pose a serious risk to the people and animals with whom they come into contact,” says PETA Cruelty Caseworker Daniel Paden. “Mental-health professionals and top law-enforcement officials consider cruelty to animals to be a red flag.” PETA is asking that For more information, please visit HelpingAnimals.com. PETA’s letter to County Prosecuting Attorney Chris J. Van Oosterum follows. November 8, 2004 The Honorable Chris J. Van Oosterum Dear Mr. Van Oosterum: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the world’s largest animal rights organization, with more than 800,000 members and supporters dedicated to animal protection. This letter concerns a recent case of cruelty to animals that your office is reviewing, involving an unnamed Custer Township couple. The pair may face charges stemming from authorities’ reported October 29 and November 2 discoveries of 45 severely neglected dogs and cats languishing at their alleged North Custer Road "puppy mill." According to news sources, as many as 41 malnourished and waste-covered dogs were found crammed—in groups of three—into carriers strewn about the floor of the couple’s unheated barn and stacked on top of one another in their garage. Four cats were reportedly found inside the suspects’ home, which was described as filthy. Mental-health professionals and top law-enforcement officials consider the blatant disregard for life and desensitization to suffering evidenced by all forms of cruelty to be a red flag. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association identifies cruelty to animals as one of the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorders, and the FBI uses reports of these crimes in analyzing the threat potential of suspected and known criminals. Experts agree that it is the severity of the behavior, not the species of the victim, that matters. On behalf of our thousands of members and supporters in Michigan, we respectfully ask that your office file appropriate charges against the suspects and that—upon conviction and in addition to a period of incarceration—they be required to undergo thorough psychological evaluations followed by mandatory counseling at their own expense. Because repeat crimes are the rule rather than the exception among animal abusers, and given their apparent prolonged and utter disregard for the lives and suffering of animals in their custody, we implore your office to take every measure necessary to ensure that both suspects be barred from all future personal and professional contact with animals and that any who may remain in their charge on the aforementioned or any other property be immediately seized. Thank you for your diligence in this matter and for your time and consideration. Do not hesitate to contact me at 757-622-7382, if you have any questions or if our office can be of assistance. Sincerely, Daniel Paden, Cruelty Caseworker
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