Crack down on animal cruelty and save lives

Crack down on animal cruelty and save lives
EDITOR:
People who abuse and torture animals for the fun of it, such as dog-fight promoters, should get stiffer and harsher penalties for cruelty to companion animals.
The East Side of Youngstown has recently become a wasteland for dog-fight participants as they dispose the remains of ravaged dogs -- mixed breeds and pit bulls -- on the streets.
The 127th Ohio General Assembly House of Representatives introduced House Bill 22 requesting an amendment to the Revised Code, proposed by Rep. Brian G. Williams, D-41st.
An example of animal cruelty would be dog-fight promoters. Dog fighting refers to the "gameness" that an animal portrays. "Gameness," according to a final recommendations report released by the Ohio Dog Fighting Task Force, is how ready and willing the dog is to fight and how little it will yield during a match.
In Ohio, dog fighting is a fourth degree felony and the Ohio Revised Code states that "no person shall knowingly promote or participate in a dog fight or sell, purchase, possess or train a dog for a dog fight."
This horrendous and sickening form of entertainment would decrease somewhat if, as suggested by the task force, the penalty was stiffened from a fourth degree felony to a third degree felony.
The proposed law would require children 15 years old and younger to undergo psychological evaluation and individual or family counseling for no less than six months if they commit cruelty to companion animals.
Many lives could have been saved from 1978-1991 when well-known serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer went on a killing spree. Dahmer started out by torturing animals and impaling their heads on sticks. He moved on to killing humans, whose lives might have been spared had he received proper treatment -- counseling -- earlier in his childhood.
If people thought about and were made aware of the serious consequences and repercussions they would face if they committed violent acts against animals, at least one person would withdraw from that situation and not harm that cute little puppy.
Our animal laws need to be revised to better our society in order to stop animal cruelty and horrible crimes such dog fighting.
One has to wonder what type of society we have become to accept and even practice dog fighting as a form of entertainment. What happened to playing fetch with man's best friend?
ASHLEY TATE
Youngstown
Lawyers note: A deal is a deal
EDITOR:
An April 20 story in The Vindicator caught my eye. An ex-deputy clerk who is a convicted thief has appealed her sentence in a plea agreement the judge, prosecutor and she with her attorney, had all approved. She was allowed to be released from jail after serving only 60 days of a 18 month sentence.
Now she is protesting the amount of money she is ordered to pay because of the thousands of dollars she stole from the taxpayers. Did she and her attorney have their fingers crossed when they made the agreement? The moral solution would be to vacate the plea agreement and take the matter to trial and if convicted she should be sentenced to the maximum. With credit for the 60 days already serviced. This will not happen. She will prevail and justice will be denied.
The voters must send a message to our elected officials that we will not allow this blatant unfairness to occur in our justice system. No plea agreement should be entered into unless it is iron clad.
As a side note, all prosecutors should take note of the attorney who is going back on his word and be aware the next time he seeks to deal.
ROBERT J. HUSTED
New Springfield