Appropriate punishment for animal cruelty
 

This recent incident in Pike County, KY is beyond belief:

“Two Pike County high school students were charged yesterday with killing three horses and wounding several others last week on an Eastern Kentucky strip mine, investigators said.
One of the horses was shot more than 50 times, police said.
The horses, among 29 animals owned by Virginia resident Trish Hayes for trail rides in Breaks Interstate Park, were grazing on a strip mine when the boys, both 17, arrived in a Toyota pickup about 4 p.m. on Jan. 25, said Pike County Chief Deputy Sheriff Melvin Sayers.
The two suspects told Sayers and Detective Richard Ray that they drove to the site to shoot rabbits. "But one of the juveniles jumped out and said, 'I don't like these horses,'" Sayers said, "and they just went to shooting horses."
Ray said one suspect dislikes the animals because he was once injured by a horse.
Drugs might have been involved, Sayers said. "They said they took a couple pills, but didn't know what kind," he said. "But one of these kids had a 3.4 grade-point average, so you're not dealing with little dummies."
The students told police they had been armed with two .22-caliber rifles and a .22-caliber pistol. "They shot and killed three and wounded several others," Sayers said.
After the shooting started, the other horses fled. But the suspects apparently returned to their truck and chased them for about 7 miles on the strip mine, officials said. Hayes said one horse was shot six times but survived.
Each of the suspects was charged with criminal mischief and cruelty to animals. They were lodged in the Breathitt County Juvenile Detention Center and were scheduled for a hearing at 11 a.m. today in Pike juvenile court.
Pike District Judge Darrel Mullins "told us to charge both of them as juveniles and not to release their names," Sayers said.
One of the students turned 18 on Sunday.
Hayes said she hopes both are prosecuted as adults. "That's because, under juvenile laws in Kentucky, all they'll get is a slap on the wrists," she said.
Hayes, who has owned Breaks Stable in Breaks, Va., for 14 years, said she released most of the horses on the mountaintop strip mine adjacent to her father's home in October after the riding season ended.
"You've got miles and miles of flat land where these horses graze and just stay," she said.
There are no fences, but the horses rarely strayed from the strip mine, Hayes said.
"When they're up there, they look like a band of wild horses, but when you drive up, they'll come right up to your window," she said.
Sayers said residents of the area were able to identify both the suspects and the vehicle. "We just put the vehicle and names together and tracked them down," he said.”

Death Penalty.

Animal cruelty is the best indicator of future violence against humans.

I have three dogs, two cats, and someday horses, ducks, ... Im not alone in saying that I treat my animals like my childern. So if someone harms my kids what would I do ?

I have no dbout in that... I dont understand how can you shoot an animal 50 times ??

i hope these juvys are prosecuted as adults, Im very angry!!

They'll get a slap on the wrist.

Honestly....I think they should do some serious prison time.

Its terrible, any animal cruelty is horrific.

However, Im not real big on charging anyone as an adult unless they are an adult. IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.

What they did is sick, they should get some professional help

As if shooting rabbits is any more justified.. Hick boys with daddy's guns. Gotta love the country!

Don't worry. Even if they get a slap on the wrist, idiots like that will end up doing something else that will land them in the clink for a more significant amount of time.. Then they'll be the ones taking shots.. If not, I hope those douchebags enjoy hell.

Considering it's Pike county...the stiffest punishment is to force these two to have sex with someone that isn't family.

25 years in a federal "pound-me-in-the-ass" prison (copywright Office Space).

17 year olds do a lot of dumb things. Ive never killed or hurt an animal, but I would hate anything I did when I was 17 being held against me today.

Get them some professional help, make them pay some restitution, educate them a little on animal cruelty,and hope they grow up to be responsible adults.

F

Arriving in their Toyota pick up truck armed with their Dad's guns...Sounds about right for down there.

These scumbags deserve nothing less than spending time in jail and getting raped. Then the deathe penalty. Losing them would be a gift for society.

I believe this is one of the traits of a serial killer... killing animals. So do we wait until they kill people??

They are hillbilly country kids. Probably hunt all the time, probably disconnected with all animals, including horses.

Restitution, Community service, and some professional help is what should happen.

I like the sound of the death penalty better. :mad:

Me too, I doubt anyone would really miss them.

Can we geld them first?