Pets hurled off bridge in Puerto Rico (WTF?!?!)

[cboy4]

:(

By OMAR MARRERO, Associated Press Writer 28 minutes ago

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Animal control workers seized dozens of dogs and cats from housing projects in the town of Barceloneta and hurled them from a bridge to their deaths, authorities and witnesses said Friday. Mayor Sol Luis Fontanez blamed a contractor hired to take the animals to a shelter.
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"This is an irresponsible, inhumane and shameful act," he told The Associated Press.

Fontanez said the city hired Animal Control Solution to clear three housing projects of pets after warning residents about a no-pet policy. He said the city paid $60 for every animal recovered and another $100 for each trip to a shelter in the San Juan suburb of Carolina.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071013/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/puerto_rico_pet_massacre_3

[tularetom]

1. Animal Control Solutions a fully owned subsidiary of Blackwater.

Would not surprise me.

[Greylyn58]

2. Good God...That's just insane!!!!

[demnan]

3. This doesn't even get close to the real story

In an American territory, if you live in a subsidised apartment, who has the right to enter your home and seize your pet?

Why were pets being seized?

Intimidation process? (I kill your pets today, I kill you tomorrow?)

We may never know the true story behind the animal abuse. I'd really like to know.

[pitohui]

4. on the american mainland, yes, animal control has the right to enter your property and seize animals

so i don't see why the law would be any different in puerto rico

if an animal is reported to be in distress by someone who doesn't like you, no different than if a child is reported to be in distress, they don't have to talk nicely about it with you, they can go right in there, in fact it may be easier when it's a pet rather than a child

i was involved in some protest against this in the 1980s, but it passed, as it was a highly popular measure and supported by the humane society

(no offense to the humane society but they don't know beans about care of exotic pets like birds and they turned me off by the heavy duty tactics in that era, which is how i came to be involved, i didn't want them coming into a situation where they didn't know how to care for the animal and taking it out of a good situation to gas it in a shelter)

but you do realize that if you have a pet and someone makes a complaint, you DON'T have a right to refuse the search from animal control? it was ruined for everyone by the type of fuckwit who will keep a pit bull or even a cougar (!) or a wolf hybrid or an alligator (yes i knew a fuckwit who actually had a pet ALLIGATOR, don't ask)

as for the treatment of the seized animals in this case, this is simply disgraceful

[me b zola]

5. Those same questions went through my mind

The question of is this an act of intimidation really stuck with me. Makes me wonder if their is a developer trolling around some where in the back ground.

[Semper_FiFi]

6. I read that story on yahoo and I broke into tears...

I know I'm a wuss but the thought of those poor animals having been ripped from their loving homes and then being shot up with god knows what! The one's who were dead before they were thrown off the bridge were the lucky ones. I read that some crawled up to the road after being hurled into the ravine! I am so shocked and horrified. How can people be so cruel?


Damn them all to hell!:cry:

[cboy4]

7. No you're not a wuss. It shows that you have a kind and

caring heart. It's an awful story. :pals:

[Semper_FiFi]

9. Thanks, cboy4

that story really got to me. I doubt I will ever be able to forget it. But it's nice to know other people feel the way I do towards the poor and defenseless critters of the world.:hi:

[KathieG]

8. I'm right there with you...

I had a hard time reading this story, there are some truly sick individuals in this world.

[Semper_FiFi]

10. Hi, KathieG...

welcome to DU.:hi:

It really was just horrible to read such a thing. I cannot fathom the horror the animals must have faced. This crime really has to be punished.

[smokey nj]

14. You're not a wuss. I can't bring myself to click on the link and read the whole article.

It's just heartbreaking. There is no justification for this kind of cruelty.

[Semper_FiFi]

11. kick and recommend n/t

[Swamp Rat]

12. Animal Control Solution, the Blackwater of pet removal.

First, the private contractors came for Iraqis...

[DS1]

13. Welcome to Bush's AMERIcaaahhh oh

nevermind

[Rage for Order]

15. This is the best part of the story:

Animal Control Solution owner Julio Diaz said he went to the bridge when he heard of the allegations, but remains unconvinced that the dead animals are the same ones his company collected.

"We have never thrown animals off any place. We always take them to our local shelter and euthanize them," he said. "They can't prove that they are the same dogs that we picked up."


Well then, I guess since they can't PROVE that they're the same dogs they picked up then everything's fine. What a tool.

[Colobo]

16. CAROLINA IS NOT A SUBURB OF SAN JUAN. IT'S ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY!

My home town!

By the way, this whole situation is a disgrace. It's inhumane.

[BlueJazz]

17. If I wasn't opposed to the Death Penalty, I'd know a good punishment.