A repugnant form of animal abuse

This subject will, no doubt, be hard to read, but please continue for the sake of the animals. We have to be made aware before we can do something about a situation that puts an animal in danger. Don’t ignore a child in danger and don’t ignore an animal that desperately needs your help and voice.

Do you know the definition of bestiality? Have you even heard of it? Basically, it is an animal being used as a sexual object by a human being. You can find it in both our own town and county animal ordinances, and it is against the animals laws in just about every county and town in the United States. As of 2012 thirty-seven states had laws against bestiality with penalties of fines and imprisonment. Also, almost in every country, with the exception of Mexico, Thailand, Cambodia, Romania and Brazil, it is a criminal offense.

I was notified Sunday afternoon that this was happening to a dog by its male owner on a regular basis. My first reaction is revulsion, and then I became angry and vowed if this is true I will do everything and anything to bring this man to court and have the dog removed immediately. I do not have all the information right now and the report needs to go through the appropriate channels, which is a report to animal control through dispatch where it can be recorded and animal control can respond.

Animal control has to be notified first as we want these cases to go to court before a judge. These people should never have another animal in the town and county through a court judgement. So, it is important we report to animal control first and continue the legal process to court.

And our animal control officers need to know how to investigate these type of crimes against animals. How do you prove this? Eyewitness is for sure one way and the dog has to be taken immediately from the owner and have it checked by a veterinarian. An animal that has been subjected to this cruelty will have obvious physical signs. Another reason you take the animal is that you don’t want this so-called human being to do anything to the dog if he feels threatened like getting rid of the dog and evidence.

That is why I am depending on our law enforcement, Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe or Chief David Weaver to oversee this crime and follow through on prosecution. I would like to see every town officer and every sheriff’s deputy have a copy of the animal ordinance with them when on duty.

This coming week more details will come forth and we will know exactly what is happening. This will also be reported to the Attorney General’s Animal Abuse Hotline which is now taken care of by Animal Protection of New Mexico’s cruelty director, Alan Edmonds. I will do that part. This has to be taken seriously and professionally.

Here is our town and county animal law regarding bestiality. As you can see it is described in our ordinance under Cruelty Section as sexual contact with an animal.

“SECTION 4-2 C: Abusing an Animal which includes, but is not limited to, maiming, disfiguring, torturing, beating, having sexual contact with, hurting, burning, scalding or cruelly setting upon any Animal.”

Our animal ordinance has a long list of definitions before the animal laws are given, but bestiality is not among them. It should be. This form of abuse is not known by everyone or is so repugnant that people do not want to think about such a heinous act against a defenseless animal. The definition would have defined this abuse, distinctly and clearly.

It is not something you want to hear about or ever have to see, but it must be reported and it is against the law. Many states treat it as a criminal offense and appropriate legal action is taken including imprisonment.

None of the above written will mean anything if the person who is reporting the abuse will not take the first step and report it. We have to ensure that at least to a certain point anonymity is protected.

Save the date

Art for Stray Hearts will be held Oct. 3, 5-7 p.m. at Wilder Nightingale Fine Art Gallery, featuring the artwork of Mitzi Howell (1963-1998). Her artwork revolved around her love of animals and nature. All sales will go directly to Stray Hearts Animal Shelter with the hope that Mitzi’s art will inspire others to continue supporting their local animal shelters.

The family of Mitzi Howell and Wilder Nightingale Fine Art are sponsoring this event in Mitzi’s memory.