Man Shoots Dog, Gets 11 Years in Prison

[Snakes Incorporated]

Man Shoots Dog, Gets 11 Years in Prison

When Michael McLeod pleaded guilty to shooting and killing his Norfolk, Virginia, neighbor's dog, Rex, because he was annoyed at the dog's barking, he may not have thought he'd get a long prison sentence for cruelty to animals.
But he was facing Circuit Court Judge Karen J. Burrell, a self-described "judge who has compassion for animals." She handed down the maximumsentence: 11 years for felony cruelty to animals, discharging a firearm in a public place, and failing to appear in court (McLeod dodged his original sentencing hearing in 2003 and was on the lam for seven years).
McLeod will serve five years behind bars, with six years suspended. If he violates the terms of his probation after being released, he could serve that extra time too.
"When judges hand down sentences like this, they deter people from being cruel to animals," PETA Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch told a reporter. They also deter people from being cruel to people, as there is a known link between cruelty to animals and violent crimes against humans.
If you know any people who leave their dogs or cats outside unattended, please share Rex's story with them. It only takes a few minutes for animals to become victims of people with short fuses and long rifle barrels.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/man-shoots-dog-gets-11-years-in-prison

 

[tyflier]

Can't say I like the PETA referance, and using them as a source of useful quotations really leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but...I have to agree.

I'm glad the man was given the maximum penalty. Especially considering he went on the lam for 7 years, he obviously has no moral remorse, and is well aware that his actions were punishable. No excuses for this jerk.

 

[Snakes Incorporated]

Can't say I like the PETA referance,...

Totally agree. I regard this PETA organisation as information terrorists but the sentence this 'joker' got was a good example to have been set.

 

[Raptor]

Eh. I'm neutral on the topic. 11 years is honestly a bit harsh. However, considering he was mia for awhile, it is mildly understandable. If he shot the dog and it survived then suffered, again, understandable. But if he shot it and it died instantly, that's in no way "cruelty to animals".

On the other hand, the news website lost all credibility for quoting PETA.

 

[Kels88]

I think it's a little excessive. Sure, the guy was dumb for ditching his court dates, but 11 years?
This guy obviously lacks respect for animals and has anger problems. So give the guy a little time in jail, a big fine (that can go to the dog's family for damages and maybe some for local shelters or something), and make him go through anger management.
Maybe even a restraining order to keep him away from the neighbor's property.

Our prison systems are rediculously overloaded and it is our tax money that will support this guy for 11 years ($25,000-$40,000 per year).
But it's more than a $$ problem. People who go to prison in the US aren't rehabilitated. The only thing our prison system accomplishes is the convenience of having the criminal separated from society.

 

[Kels88]

P.S. Peta is nuts. nuff said.

 

[The_Thunderer]

11 years seems excessive, but when the 6 "suspended" years are taken out, then it is only 5 years. I STILL think that's kind of excessive especially when one can get out of jail much sooner for killing a person. However, given his MIA and his obvious idiocy, then maybe it "sits" better with me.

I also OBVIOUSLY agree that the PETA reference/quote/use as a source is NOT a positive...

 

[Raptor]

11 years seems excessive, but when the 6 "suspended" years are taken out, then it is only 5 years. I STILL think that's kind of excessive especially when one can get out of jail much sooner for killing a person. However, given his MIA and his obvious idiocy, then maybe it "sits" better with me.

I also OBVIOUSLY agree that the PETA reference/quote/use as a source is NOT a positive...

Had the guy shot the dog in a non vital area, then stood there and poked the injury with a stick for an hour..Then yes. That's definitely animal cruelty. I can't see call shooting a dog dead cruelty though. Thousands of farmers/ranchers nationwide do it on a daily basis.

 

[RavenSpirit360]

Its nice to see someone receiving maximum penalty for cruelty to animals for once... So many get off way too easily... Its about time we start standing up and giving justice to the ones who dont have a voice.. NICE!!

 

[Raptor]

Its nice to see someone receiving maximum penalty for cruelty to animals for once... So many get off way too easily... Its about time we start standing up and giving justice to the ones who dont have a voice.. NICE!!

The thing is..Killing an animal with a gun isn't cruelty. Cruelty implies suffering or abuse.

 

[tyflier]

The thing is..Killing an animal with a gun isn't cruelty. Cruelty implies suffering or abuse.

I don't know...The guy was sentenced to 11 years, 6 suspended. He shot another person's beloved pet and killed. Suffering or not, that deserves punishment. H ethen proceeded to run and hide from law enforcement for 7 years before being apprehended and brought in for sentencing. Seems to me the guy was let off fairly easy.

If the sentence had been 2 years suspended, would it have made any impact? I doubt it. This individual obviously has some serious faults, and minor sociopathic tendencies at the very least. I've lived next door to some pretty ridiculous dogs, and I've never considered killing any of them. There is something wrong with an individual that feels it is simply OK to hurt another person's pet, just because they find it annoying. We all know there are alternative measures that can be taken. Even if those measures were attempted, and failed, I simply cannot find any justification for killing another person's pet over noise.

Had the dog attacked him or his child...I'd say he did nothing wrong. But come on...shoot the dog because it's barking? If you ask me, 5 years actual maximum time behind bars is not that severe of a punishment...

 

[Raptor]

I don't know...The guy was sentenced to 11 years, 6 suspended. He shot another person's beloved pet and killed. Suffering or not, that deserves punishment. H ethen proceeded to run and hide from law enforcement for 7 years before being apprehended and brought in for sentencing. Seems to me the guy was let off fairly easy.

If the sentence had been 2 years suspended, would it have made any impact? I doubt it. This individual obviously has some serious faults, and minor sociopathic tendencies at the very least. I've lived next door to some pretty ridiculous dogs, and I've never considered killing any of them. There is something wrong with an individual that feels it is simply OK to hurt another person's pet, just because they find it annoying. We all know there are alternative measures that can be taken. Even if those measures were attempted, and failed, I simply cannot find any justification for killing another person's pet over noise.

Had the dog attacked him or his child...I'd say he did nothing wrong. But come on...shoot the dog because it's barking? If you ask me, 5 years actual maximum time behind bars is not that severe of a punishment...

The problem is, we don't know anything about the situation. Was the dog in the neighbor's yard? Was it running free? Did it come onto his property repeatedly and bark?

If it was in the neighbor's yard, no, he shouldn't have shot it. If it was the other two situations, in my area, he would have been in the right. I don't really think it's fair to call people who've shot dogs "minorly psychopathic".

 

[RavenSpirit360]

The thing is..Killing an animal with a gun isn't cruelty. Cruelty implies suffering or abuse.

Cruelty is the deliberate act of inflicting pain or suffering.. Yes the dog my have not felt pain if it died immediately.. Or maybe it did? But still the act itself was criminal, wrong, and he did inflict pain and suffering upon the owners of this dog by killing it.. What gave him the right to kill another persons pet.. What gives anyone the right to kill any other living thing unless you are hunting or fishing in the means of providing food? THis man took this animals life into its own hands out of hate and anger.. And I think the punishment is fitting.. I am glad they are enforcing tougher punishments on people that have commited crimes against animals.. It shows that maybe people are actually starting to accept and realise that they are not the godsent all great beings that mean more than any other living creatures out there. Honestly... if someone did this to one of my pets, I would hope and pray for a fitting punishment.. So what if its not a human???? Animals deserve justice and protection as well...
And as a side not, I do not care for PETA either....!!

 

[RavenSpirit360]

I agree that he was slightly psychopathic... He killed someones pet out of anger and hate? That is not a though that goes through a normal thinking persons head.. And then to run and hide etc... It shows he has flaws that he needs to be forced to realise.. he deserves his sentence..

 

[Raptor]

Cruelty is the deliberate act of inflicting pain or suffering.. Yes the dog my have not felt pain if it died immediately.. Or maybe it did? But still the act itself was criminal, wrong, and he did inflict pain and suffering upon the owners of this dog by killing it.. What gave him the right to kill another persons pet.. What gives anyone the right to kill any other living thing unless you are hunting or fishing in the means of providing food? THis man took this animals life into its own hands out of hate and anger.. And I think the punishment is fitting.. I am glad they are enforcing tougher punishments on people that have commited crimes against animals.. It shows that maybe people are actually starting to accept and realise that they are not the godsent all great beings that mean more than any other living creatures out there. Honestly... if someone did this to one of my pets, I would hope and pray for a fitting punishment.. So what if its not a human???? Animals deserve justice and protection as well...
And as a side not, I do not care for PETA either....!!

Defending your animals, for one. In my neighborhood (if you could call it that. Nearest neighbor is 1/4 mile away), if your dog runs free, expect it to get shot fairly quickly. The neighbors don't put up with it.

This of course, sparks another question. If killing an animal is so evil, why do you have snakes? Snakes pretty much always eat other animals. Unlike dogs and cats, they can't be fed kibble. Mice/rats are obviously killed before feeding. This act isn't usually instant. So, pain/suffering, and by your views, cruelty.

I find it interesting that one type is acceptable as long as it's beneficial, but another is shunned.

I agree that he was slightly psychopathic... He killed someones pet out of anger and hate? That is not a though that goes through a normal thinking persons head.. And then to run and hide etc... It shows he has flaws that he needs to be forced to realise.. he deserves his sentence..

Normal isn't something that has a definition. What one culture deems as normal another calls taboo. To be honest, all that'll happen to the guy is shoved in a cell. He won't get any help with anger management.

This all assuming that the media portrayed everything correctly. As I said, thee entire story wasn't told. Was the dog tied up/in a fenced in yard or was it roaming free?

 

[Snakes Incorporated]

Venom kills very quickly when a snake uses it on its prey so no cruelty. Constriction kills quicker as the entire system becomes a “sold” so no cruelty.

A barking dog is annoying but for a neighbor to lean over the wall divide and destroy your pet with a firearm cannot be seen as a “Mr. meaner”. The fool discharged a firearm in a residential area destroying someone property. He killed a perfectly good animal on someone else’s property for no other reason than being annoyed.
The fool then played games with the law hoping the problem would just go away. He went as far as to treat the court with contempt so if we add all this together I’m sure it could have been worse.

The next fool to come along and try something similar will think before acting on his or her anger when using an animal.

 

[Ivorzz5]

kinda wierd but I think as long as it didn't suffer it isn't right to give a man 0ver 5 years in prison. maybe comunity service? It's not like we freak out when a vet puts a dog down, but i guess thats a little different.

 

[Raptor]

Venom kills very quickly when a snake uses it on its prey so no cruelty. Constriction kills quicker as the entire system becomes a “sold” so no cruelty.

;D I'm referring to most methods employed by people who feed their snakes pk (CO2, bashing the mouse against the wall, etc). But yes, methods employed by the snake tend to be the fastest.

 

[tyflier]

The problem is, we don't know anything about the situation. Was the dog in the neighbor's yard? Was it running free? Did it come onto his property repeatedly and bark?

If it was in the neighbor's yard, no, he shouldn't have shot it. If it was the other two situations, in my area, he would have been in the right. I don't really think it's fair to call people who've shot dogs "minorly psychopathic".

We know that it was a residential area, and that the root of the problem was the guy's annoyance at the dog's barking.

In my opinion, that is enough to know that killing the dog was not justified,

And I didn't call him minorly psychopathic, I called him minorly SOCIOpathic, at best. And I stand by that statement.

And shooting a dog simply because it is running down the road is illegal in most residential areas. You might get a fly with this, seeing as how your nearest neighbor is 1/4 mile away. But in a residential neighborhood it is both illegal to harm other people's pets AND illegal to discharge a firearm. This man did both, with the sole intent of harming his neighbor's beloved pet.

However, I have to say that if I lived in your area, and my dog escaped his yard, and got shot whilst running down the road, I would sue the pants off the person that shot him. Call animal control and have him put in the shelter. But unless my dog is killing something of yours...you have no right to kill my dog. Period. I would be willing to bet that unless my dog was physically on your property causing damage...I would win.

 

[Michael823]

Good! About time that people start getting serious time for this. Also, how are you (Raptor) so sure of what cruel is? I've never been dealt an instant and fatal gun shot wound, as I'm sure you haven't as well, so there could have been tremendous suffering in whatever time it took for the dog to effectively die.

As for the circumstance... well, maybe your neighborhood is different than mine, but anyone shooting a dog for running loose (which happens accidentally all of the time) should also be dealt a serious sentence. My neighbors would be hard pressed to get away with killing my dog, who's like my child, in the event that she decided to break off of a leash and enter their property.

Also, the comparison to feeding snakes mice and this just ridiculous. I can't stand empty rhetoric, when people know darn well the intentions behind feeding a snake a mouse (which it has adapted to eating far before human domestication) and killing a dog. Dogs should be treated with a lot more respect and compassion in our society. Anyone who has ever built a bond with a dog would know how strong it is, and to betray that bond, especially with something as severe as murder, it should be held against the perpetrator in the harshest way.