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Dog cruelty/abuse case

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Lindseym07

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? TN
Hi everyone. Sorry for the length of this, I just wanted to make sure not to miss any details. Thanks for any input.
I recently discovered that my neighbor had abandoned his two dogs for over a month and they were skin and bones, almost dead. The only reason I believe they were still living is because they had dirty pool water to drink from. I fed them and called the shelter and an investigating officer came and got them. When I asked about the progress of the investigation on this cruelty/neglect case I was told the police practiced discretion in cases like this and it is basically up to them and they chose not to charge the owner. I am very concerned that he got off scott free. Is it true that police officers can not charge someone just because they don't feel like it? I feel like this is a gross injustice because the dogs would have definitely died if I had not noticed that there hadn't been a car there for so long. I was told they chose to drop the case because when the man was finally contacted about this issue, he decided to give the dogs up without resisting. I think this should be even more reason to charge him because it just goes to show that he didn't care at all about the dogs. If this were something like a drug case and the suspect "willingly" gave up their cocaine I seriously doubt they would drop charges due to it. I do not understand how there can be leniency on cases like this when it seems like such a horrendous thing to do. People have to pay fines for doing things that aren't nearly as bad (at least in my eyes), such as speeding. I guess my question is is it really a subjective matter and what can I, as a concerned citizen, do about it. I'm also unsure if the policy on this differs between cities/states, so I live in Bartlett, TN to clarify. I've tried to look up the law on this but I can't seem to find anything. Thanks for any responses, I truly appreciate it.
 


TheGeekess

Keeper of the Kraken
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? TN
Hi everyone. Sorry for the length of this, I just wanted to make sure not to miss any details. Thanks for any input.
I recently discovered that my neighbor had abandoned his two dogs for over a month and they were skin and bones, almost dead. The only reason I believe they were still living is because they had dirty pool water to drink from. I fed them and called the shelter and an investigating officer came and got them. When I asked about the progress of the investigation on this cruelty/neglect case I was told the police practiced discretion in cases like this and it is basically up to them and they chose not to charge the owner. I am very concerned that he got off scott free. Is it true that police officers can not charge someone just because they don't feel like it? I feel like this is a gross injustice because the dogs would have definitely died if I had not noticed that there hadn't been a car there for so long. I was told they chose to drop the case because when the man was finally contacted about this issue, he decided to give the dogs up without resisting. I think this should be even more reason to charge him because it just goes to show that he didn't care at all about the dogs. If this were something like a drug case and the suspect "willingly" gave up their cocaine I seriously doubt they would drop charges due to it. I do not understand how there can be leniency on cases like this when it seems like such a horrendous thing to do. People have to pay fines for doing things that aren't nearly as bad (at least in my eyes), such as speeding. I guess my question is is it really a subjective matter and what can I, as a concerned citizen, do about it. I'm also unsure if the policy on this differs between cities/states, so I live in Bartlett, TN to clarify. I've tried to look up the law on this but I can't seem to find anything. Thanks for any responses, I truly appreciate it.
Contact your state representative. :cool:
 

swalsh411

Senior Member
First of all thank you for saving their life. Hopefully they will find a better home.

You really have no right to find out the status of the investigation.
 

CJane

Senior Member
Generally speaking, the state always has discretion in choosing whether or not to charge people with a crime, and which crime to charge them with.
 

Banned_Princess

Senior Member
And it is never really your business on what if any action was taken, especially if you aren't even a victim.

If you know the neighbors name, you may be able to look up pending charges online. I know you can in my state and county. I don't know about which county you are in, but try to google " criminal court cases" in your county. Thats just to find out about them, theres nothing you can do to influence whatever the courts or police do past reporting it.

I'm sorry, I didnt read your whole post.

Dogs aren't people, and they definitely aren't kids. they cannot be murdered. neglected and abused yes, but still, not as serious as treating a child that way. Dogs are still property.

If he had the option of giving up the dogs, to satisfy his neglect of them, then case closed. You can be happy with yourself that you had the dogs removed from his lack of care, and they were probably killed in the shelter alittle more humanely , instead of starving to death.
 
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quincy

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? TN
...I've tried to look up the law on this but I can't seem to find anything...
The following is a link to Michigan State University's animal law site: http://www.animallaw.info. It lists not only all laws that relate to animals in all states, it also provides up-to-date animal-related case law.
 
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Banned_Princess

Senior Member
Really late edit.






Dogs are property.
So be glad they were rescued. Its really the most you can hope for in most cases like this.
 
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Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Dogs are property. The laws about treating them in an acceptable manor are really not laws(not serious ones anyway) I could beat a dog within an inch of his life, or even to death without risking even a minimum fine, bury a dog in the backyard, and if ever discovered, there will be no investigation into the death of any animal. they "laws" you are thinking of are the most minimum of violations which can usually be satisfied by giving the animals up. Its not a felony or even a misdemeanor to abandon dogs in a yard, the way possession of cocaine is. You may be morally outraged, but what do you want? to send the guy to jail 30 days? Its just not feasible. (barred extreme cases of abuse)

Plus his actions of leaving the dogs for dead really isn't harming actual humanity like the abuse of drugs, or endangering real peoples lives by speeding!! They are just dogs. Specifically, property.
The state of Tennessee disagrees. What the OP has described is a felony.
http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stustnst39_14_201_212.htm#s212
 

Banned_Princess

Senior Member
Your totally right. I don't know why I responded like that. I'm sorry. I was hacked :eek:

I just mean, dogs aren't children, in which OP would be appropriately outraged. Would OP have preferred the owner take them to a kill shelter? Sometimes people just don't know what to do, panic and just walk off. He could of at least opened the gate to let them out. Seems to me like prosecuting every incidentally starving dog would require resources better used on dog fighters and puppy mills. Repeat offenders. Worse things could happen to an animal.
 

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