PETA Demands Jail Time, Psychiatric Intervention if Alleged Dog Beaters Are Convicted

Community Should Fear for Its Safety, Say Experts

For Immediate Release:
January 14, 2010

Contact:
Kristin DeJournett 757-622-7382

New York -- This morning, PETA sent an urgent plea to New York County District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. calling on his office to vigorously prosecute Chris Grant and Tiara Davis, who are both residents at the Grant Housing Development in Upper Manhattan. Grant and Davis face charges of cruelty to animals stemming from separate incidents in which they were allegedly each caught on surveillance video repeatedly kicking and violently yanking their small dogs--Chuvi-Duvi, a 12-pound Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix belonging to Grant's girlfriend, and Sparky, Davis' 9-pound Pomeranian. Sparky was beaten so badly that he lost consciousness.

"The viciousness shown in the abuse of these animals must not go unpunished," says PETA Director Martin Mersereau. "New York residents have reason to be concerned. According to leading mental health professionals and law enforcement agencies, perpetrators of violent acts against animals are often repeat offenders who pose a serious threat to all animals, including humans."

PETA is asking that the defendants, if convicted, be sentenced to periods of incarceration, prohibited from owning or harboring animals, and ordered to undergo thorough psychological evaluations followed by mandatory counseling.

For more information, please visit PETA's Web site HelpingAnimals.com. To view PETA's anti-violence public service announcement featuring Inglourious Basterds star and Hostel director Eli Roth, please click here.  

PETA's letter to New York County District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. follows.

January 14, 2010

The Honorable Cyrus R. Vance, Jr.
New York County District Attorney’s Office

Dear Mr. Vance:

PETA is the world’s largest animal rights organization, with more than 2 million members and supporters internationally. This letter concerns two recent cases of cruelty to animals that your office is handling, involving Chris Grant, 21, and Tiara Davis, 31, respectively. According to news sources, both defendants face charges of cruelty to animals after the discovery of video footage, captured by a surveillance camera in an elevator at the defendants’ residence, which apparently shows the defendants abusing their dogs. January 2 footage allegedly depicts Grant repeatedly kicking his girlfriend’s Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix dog, Chuvi-Duvi, and violently jerking the animal by the leash. The man then feigns affection to lure the traumatized animal back to his side before attacking her again. On January 10, Davis was reportedly caught on tape repeatedly kicking and yanking at her own small dog, Sparky, until the animal loses consciousness--apparently because the Pomeranian was unable to wait to relieve himself.

Mental health professionals and top law enforcement officials consider animal abuse to be a red flag. The American Psychiatric Association identifies cruelty to animals as one of the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorders, and the FBI uses reports of animal abuse 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 New York, we respectfully ask that, if convicted and in addition to serving a period of incarceration, the accused be required to undergo a thorough psychological evaluation followed by mandatory counseling (and anger-management classes, if applicable) at their own expense--the safety of the community may depend on it. Because repeat crimes are the rule rather than the exception among animal abusers and given the violent nature of their alleged actions, we implore your office to take every measure necessary to ensure that the defendants, if convicted, are prohibited from contact with animals for as long as possible and that all animals who may be in their respective charges are immediately seized.

Thank you for your diligence in this matter and for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Kristin DeJournett
Cruelty Investigations Department