In Defense of Animals Calls on New Secretary of Defense to Reprimand Soldiers Caught on Video Tormenting Crippled Dog

San Rafael, Calif. – A homemade video that is being circulated on the Internet in which U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq laugh while throwing rocks at and taunting a dog suffering from a severe spinal deformity prompted international animal protection organization In Defense of Animals (IDA) to fire off a letter today to new Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, calling for an investigation of the incident and disciplinary action against the individuals responsible.

“Hurting a suffering animal and then laughing about it is inexcusably deplorable behavior,” said Elliot M. Katz, DVM, President of IDA in a letter to Gates. “The callousness, insensitivity, and cruelty exhibited by U.S. soldiers in the video is reminiscent of the incidents at Abu Ghraib prison and is similarly shameful. If this video makes its way into the hands of foreign journalists, it will only serve as further evidence of how callous U.S. soldiers can be. If these soldiers would treat a crippled dog so badly, they would likely treat Iraqi prisoners with similar disdain.”

Studies by the F.B.I. and U.S. Department of Justice, among others, have proven the connection between animal abuse, child abuse and domestic violence. Violent acts toward animals, when left unaddressed, have been linked to intensified violence and neglect and/or expansion to human victims. “The U.S. Army must take the incident captured on this video very seriously,” Katz continued. “The individuals responsible should be identified, reprimanded, and given mandatory sensitivity training. Abusing helpless animals is not representative of the values held by the vast majority of Americans. We expect better from our soldiers, and the Army must show they have a zero tolerance policy on cruelty to animals.”

The video is available online at www.liveleak.com. A copy of the letter to Secretary Gates is available upon request.

For more information about In Defense of Animals, visit www.idausa.org.