re: little Tobey: Thank Assistant County Attorney for her work on this case

[Guest guest]

This most egregious act made it all the way to the west coast, IDA (In Defense of Animals). I hope they rot in prison. Teens Torture Neighbor's Dog to Death Thank Assistant County Attorney for her work on this case Three boys aged 12, 14, and 16 face charges of cruelty to animals resulting in death after kidnapping a dog from their neighbor's yard and murdering him by acts of brutal torture. Toby was a Pomeranian, a breed often referred to as "toy dogs" because of their small size: adult Pomeranians typically weigh between three and seven pounds. The three boys stand accused of taking this particularly helpless dog to an abandoned

house, where they threw him repeatedly from a second-story window until his legs were broken. They then strung Toby upside-down from a tree branch and beat him using a board with protruding nails as though his body was a party piñata. Finally, they burned Toby's genitals with a lighter, and decapitated him using a pocketknife. At least as disturbing as this act of violence against someone's beloved animal companion is the fact that the three young perpetrators showed no remorse for torturing and killing Toby. Dr. Harvey Ginsburg, a psychology professor at Texas State University-San Marcos, speculated that the boys may have been emulating Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who faces charges of running a dogfighting ring and executing dogs who lost fights by hanging them, beating them against the floor, and other gruesome methods. According to Ginsburg, children who lack of empathy for others, whether animal or human, may look up to idols like Vick

and want to be like him. "They were treating this puppy like a stuffed animal," he told the San Antonio Express-News. "They just don't get it." He also emphasized that "These kids need to be in an institution now." Assistant County Attorney Nan Udell, who is prosecuting the case, warned that "Behavior like this is an indicator that they will victimize others in the future." The F.B.I. and U.S. Department of Justice have also drawn a clear connection between animal abuse and other acts of violence, which, when left unaddressed, can lead to victimizing humans. Many of the world's most notorious mass-murderers -- including Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Eric Harris, and Dylan Klebold -- are known to have tortured and killed

animals before moving on to humans. If there is a silver lining in this sad story, it is that Toby's terrible death has outraged and inspired people around the world to prevent future tragedies like this one. Udell's office has been bombarded with phone calls urging her to throw the book at the boys, and British musician Maria Daines recently released "Toby's Song," which can be downloaded from her website for free. Toby's guardians, Leonora Tavera and her daughter Stephanie, say the sympathy others have shown for their loss, and the family's new puppy, are helping them work through their intense grief. As punishment, Assistant County Attorney Udell plans to send the three teens to a Texas Youth Commission rehabilitation facility

until they each turn 19. Please call or write to Udell to thank her for all the work she has done on this case, and for seeking justice for poor Toby. Assistant County Attorney Nan UdellGuadalupe County Attorney101 East Court Street, Suite 104Seguin, Texas 78155Tel: (830) 303-6130 Fax: (830) 379-9491 In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization with more than 85,000 members and supporters dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals by protecting their rights and welfare. IDA's efforts include educational events, cruelty investigations, boycotts, grassroots activism, and hands-on rescue through our sanctuaries in Mississippi and Cameroon, Africa. In Defense of Animals 3010 Kerner Blvd., San Rafael, California 94901 - P: (415) 388-9641 F: (415) 388-0388 email: idainfo "Think occasionally of the suffering of which youspare yourself the sight" Albert Schweitzer

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