A homeless mother dog named Athena was repeatedly sexually assaulted in a Charleston, Mississippi neighborhood. Despite the vicious attacks, her assailant was not prosecuted and right now is almost certainly walking free, able to victimize more innocent members of the community if he so chooses. 

A witness who twice confronted Athena’s rapist, Claude Taylor, contacted our Justice for Animals Campaign for help. 

Director Doll Stanley interviewed Martha Bland, the woman who witnessed Taylor’s heinous abuse of Athena. Stanley then contacted the Charleston police chief and Sandy Williams of the Tunica Humane Society, who rescued Athena and her three puppies the next day. Police officers took Athena’s attacker, Claude Taylor also known as “Fink,” of Depot Street in Charleston, Mississippi into custody.

Claude Taylor appeared before the Chancery Court where the judge ruled him to be incompetent and ordered him to Whitfield, Mississippi’s mental health facility. 

While interviewing Bland, Stanley learned that Athena was not Taylor’s only victim. He was also the sexual deviant who assaulted Oreo, a dog Stanley rescued in 2010. Shockingly, other community members knew of Athena’s abuse and yet they stood by in cowardice and did nothing to prevent it, letting evil prevail. 

On May 17, 2019, Stanley met with 17th District DA Steve P. Jubera to ask for an indictment of Taylor for bestiality. Stanley also followed up with a petition signed by local residents and a copy of her interview with Martha Bland. District Attorney Jubera has since advised that there is little hope that the grand jury will hear Athena’s case since Taylor was already ruled incompetent by the Chancery Court. 

Due to Taylor’s violent, disgraceful actions, Athena is emotionally and physically scarred for life. Her extensive injuries required reconstructive surgery by a veterinary specialist, who advised that she will experience incontinence and most likely bloody discharge for the rest of her life. This is terrible and should not ever happen to anyone! 

Claude “Fink” Taylor could be back on the streets of Charleston, Mississippi with zero restrictions. We believe all sexual predators, even those who are found to be mentally incompetent, must be prevented from committing horrific acts of violence against the most defenseless members of society. If you witness an act of cruelty against an animal, please immediately report it to the proper authorities, and follow up to ensure justice is sought and enforced.