Written by PETA
Andrew David Thompson, a student in osteopathic medicine at Michigan State University, has reportedly admitted to killing 13 tiny Italian greyhounds by grabbing them by the neck, beating them, and throwing them against the ground or a wall.
After an anonymous call to animal control, investigators searched Thompson's apartment and reportedly found a severely injured puppy in the closet whom they rushed to a veterinary hospital. The dog survived, despite suffering from internal bleeding.
Thompson allegedly told an animal control officer that he would get angry and kill the dogs when they had accidents in the house or wouldn't come to him. He is charged with 13 counts of killing animals and faces an additional charge for the beaten dog who survived.
Law-enforcement officials have repeatedly documented that people who commit violent crimes against animals often "graduate" to killing humans. If you ever suspect someone of animal abuse, it is vital, for the safety of the entire community, to report it to authorities.
PETA is calling for the maximum prison sentence for Thompson if he is convicted, and you can help by contacting Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III and politely asking for justice for the dogs Thompson allegedly murdered.
Written by Michelle Sherrow
A lot of cool stuff happened to me when I was in college, but, I have to admit, nothing was as cool as what's happened to an animal rights group at Michigan State University. The MSU group is working hard to push for a permanent circus ban on their campus, and they've just received some serious help—from none other than punk godfather (and Michigan native) Iggy Pop!
The university has made the compassionate decision to ban circuses on campus this year after learning that elephants, tigers, and other animals are beaten and forced to perform under the big top. After Iggy Pop heard the news, he wrote a letter to the school in support of the students' proposal to make the ban permanent.
Want to find out how to make your own college campus circus-free? Take a little visit to peta2.
Written by Amanda Schinke
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
Follow PETA on Twitter!