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$2,500 Reward Offered to Find Starkville Dog Killer

$2,500 Reward Offered to Find Starkville Dog Killer

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Doll Stanley, doll@idausa.org, (662) 809-4483 for information and interview requests with victims

$2,500 Reward Offered to Find Starkville Dog Killer
Stricter Animal Protection Laws Urgently Needed

Ginger2Starkville, MS (January 28, 2016) – In Defense of Animals, the international animal protection organization that operates Hope Animal Sanctuary in Grenada, Mississippi and Justice for Animals Coalition of Winona, Mississippi has today announced a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person suspected of maliciously shooting Ginger, a family dog who resided in Grand Oaks Subdivision in Oktibbeha County, by Starkville, Mississippi, last Saturday.

Starkville resident, Mr. Allen Robertson of 195 Akins Road, received a call from a law enforcement officer at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday night, January 23, with news that Ginger, the Robertson family dog, had been found critically wounded near the Robertson’s home, at 207 White Oak Lane. Mr. Robertson rushed his wounded dog to Mississippi State University’s veterinary services emergency clinic, where staff determined Ginger had been shot in the face with a shotgun. Three pellets had struck her beneath the eye, penetrating her brain. A second blast left thirty two pellets in the back of her head and across her back. Ginger was beyond recovery and had to be euthanized.

“Ginger was a really wonderful dog – she was so happy and everyone loved her. She played with all the kids. It’s devastating to lose her like this,” said Mr. Robertson.

In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Coalition Director Doll Stanley said, “It was heartbreaking to hear from Mr. Robertson as he sat in his truck, wracked by the loss of Ginger, and wondering how to tell his four children and granddaughter that their beloved dog would never be coming home again. We urgently need stronger laws to stop the devastating loss of animal companions through mindless violence.”

In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Coalition is offering $2,500 to anyone with information that will help find and convict the person who committed this despicable act. “If you were in the Grand Oaks area on Saturday night and saw anything suspicious, please report it,” urged Stanley.

Witness testimony is critical in cases like these, as current Mississippi law allows animals to be killed if they are deemed “menacing.” Without witnesses, it is nearly impossible to dispute shooters’ claims.

In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Director Doll Stanley has worked with hundreds of Mississippians whose animal companions have been shot, poisoned and worse. She warns of wildly varying discrepancies in animal cruelty penalties depending on the “value” of the animal, since Mississippi law currently defines animal companions as “property.”

“Determining if a companion animal is legally “valuable enough” to be prosecuted as a felony is a degradation of the bond between animals and their guardians,” said Stanley. “It’s not just frustrating to someone whose beloved animal companion has been killed, it’s unfair. It is time for us to update our laws in Mississippi – all animals are worthy of equal protection.”

Anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who mortally wounded Ginger should call the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department at: (662) 323-2421.

For more information, please visit www.idausa.org

NOTES

Mississippi’s Criminal Property Damage – Malicious Mischief law, MS Code § 97-17-67 (2013) can be employed to prosecute a person for a felony who maliciously or mischievously destroys, disfigures, or injures a dog or causes one of these criminal acts if the dog was purchased for $500 or greater. If more than one dog is involved and the sum of their “value” is $1,000 or more, the crime can be prosecuted as a felony. The penalty for this crime is up to a $10,000 fine and or imprisonment for up to five years and restitution. Companion animals who are adopted or taken in as strays benefit from fewer protections under Mississippi law and crimes against them may only be prosecuted under § 97-41-16, the Mississippi Dog and Cat Pet Protection Law, which only allows for a single affidavit of cruelty even if there are more than one animal involved. The penalty is a maximum $2,500 fine and/or up to six months in jail and restitution.

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In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Coalition is actively working with officials in communities, building a groundswell of support for establishing and amending city and county ordinances as part of its campaign to show state lawmakers that Mississippians will not tolerate animal cruelty.

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization located in San Rafael, Calif. dedicated to protecting animals’ rights, welfare, and habitats through education, outreach, and our hands-on rescue facilities in India, Africa, and rural Mississippi.

IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS • 3010 KERNER BLVD. • SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901 • 415-448-0048

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