TOMORROW: VIGIL AT BASTROP COURTHOUSE WHERE SNAPCHAT DOG SLAYERS FACE JUSTICE

CONTACT: Doll Stanley, doll@idausa.org, (662) 809-4483

VIDEO (Graphic): https://www.facebook.com/100013283737979/videos/vb.100013283737979/110797342706390

IMAGES: http://bit.ly/2cU2Xkm

Bastrop, Louisiana – In Defense of Animals, the international animal protection organization that runs the Justice for Animals Campaign in Mississippi has joined forces with Voices for Justice of Louisiana and Animal Advocacy Initiative of Mississippi to hold a candlelight vigil at the Morehouse Parish Courthouse at 100 East Madison Avenue in Bastrop, Louisiana, on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Doll Stanley, who spearheads In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals campaign said, “We hold this vigil to seek justice for the dog who was sadistically slain in Bastrop. It is vital that Louisiana protects all members of its community from sick criminals who harm animals. We urge justice to be done through the strictest sentence possible, and psychiatric rehabilitation.”

Stephen Sadler and Boots Stanley, both of Arkansas, played a sadistic and ultimately lethal game with a gentle pit bull dog. The vile crime took place at a “kill barn” where horses are sold for slaughter in Mexico, a practice that is banned in the U.S. Steven Sadler first put a rope around the dog’s neck and the dog was placed on the back of a horse that he then caused to tread on timbers in what appeared to be with intent to cause the dog to fall and hang. The dog held their grip, thwarting the hanging. Next, Sadler pet the dog, while saying how gentle the dog was, and turned to straddle the dog, hold the dog’s collar and noose, and pulled his knife out raking it across the victim’s throat. When the knife didn’t cut, Boots Stanley cold-heartedly instructed Sadler to cut deeper until the lifeblood of the dog began to spurt from the dog’s neck. The gentle dog never resisted Sadler until their blood began to flow.

The men posted their macabre dog-slaying game on Snapchat. Hanna Gospin intercepted the video and shared it widely on Facebook leading to the arrest of the culprits.

Sadler and Stanley were arrested by authorities on Thursday, August 25th with the cooperation of the Ashley County Sheriff’s Department, Morehead Parish Sheriff’s Department and the Hamburg Police Department. The pair were charged with Class B Felony, a count for aggravated cruelty to an animal and a count for conspiracy to commit a crime.

In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Campaign is working tirelessly to advance the cause for justice and show state legislators that the people of Mississippi are united against senseless and horrific animal abuse and in this case to publicize the fact that Louisiana, Arkansas and surrounding states have a first offense felony statute for aggravated cruelty, a crime which in Mississippi is a misdemeanor for a first offense

Campaign members are aligning with judges, prosecuting attorneys, law enforcement officials, legislators, animal advocates and concerned citizens to pass meaningful regional ordinances that will protect animals when state statutes fail. In Defense of Animals has served in the deep south for 24 years, aiding victims and law enforcement with hundreds of cruelty reports.

For more information, please visit www.idausa.org

### ENDS ###

In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Campaign 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 with over 250,000 supporters and a 30-year history of protecting animals’ rights, welfare and habitats through education, campaigns and hands on rescue facilities in India, Africa, and rural Mississippi.