Animal Abuse

THE STORY of Craig Miller, the blind sicko who beat his guide dog to death after leaving a bar, is yet one more case that connects animal abuse with human abuse. It goes to show how out-of-touch this police department is concerning the entire picture of this time-bomb named Craig Miller. This is another wake up call for all the "I-don't-want-to-get-involved" types - when you see your neighbor abusing their dog, do something, report it. Get beyond the mind-set that "it's just a dog/it's just a cat. " It's much more than that, as many studies have found.

Abuse of animals by any member of a family may be a clue that child abuse also is occurring in the household, according to a new pamphlet issued by the National Association for the Advancement of Humane Education, a division of the Humane Society of the United States. It may be the child victim who is abusing the animal, or it may be someone else in the household. In the pamphlet, titled "The Cycle of Abuse," the Humane Society urges teachers, parents, judges, counselors, veterinarians and others to take seriously children's accounts of animal abuse.

I WOULD LIKE TO know where all the neighbors on Front Street in Feltonville were when all those animals were being slaughtered. From the looks of that porch, wouldn't someone in their right mind call the PSPCA or the cops? It's up to all the neighbors who live around these abusers to do something about it. I also think Michael Vick should have been on that porch instead of getting an "Ed Block Courage Award. " Sandy Ward Philadelphia

Are the Eagles trying to feather their own nest by cuddling up to anything wearing a fur coat? After all, the club created a major-league PR problem for itself by signing quarterback and convicted dogfighter Michael Vick last month. As a means of smoothing feathers over that controversial hire, the Eagles' sudden focus on fighting animal abuse in Philadelphia could be interpreted as self-interested, even cynical. But the Eagles appear to be hatching plans for a blitz of animal-welfare activities that will soar far beyond anything resembling a slick damage-control exercise.

One night in October, two men sneaked into the side yard of a house in Richland Township, police say, disemboweled two cats, and left eight others ripped and bleeding. That same month, a Northampton Township man was accused by township police of kicking three dogs to death at his home over nine months. A fourth beaten dog survived. If the attacks had happened in Alabama or Louisiana, those guilty could face felony charges that carry a maximum jail sentence of 10 years. In Pennsylvania, the three accused men - and anyone charged with such crimes - face misdemeanor charges carrying a maximum sentence of two years.

A vegan for the last eight years, Jennifer Storey is careful not to put meat, eggs, honey or milk in her body. Now it's becoming easier not to put them on her body, either. From conditioner to lip balm to plant-based pedicures, companies and spas nationwide are offering vegan products and services. That typically means there's no testing on animals, and ingredients are free of animal byproducts - including beeswax and carmine, a commonly used red coloring made from beetles. But these goodies aren't tucked away on a dusty bottom shelf in a health-food store.

The man who is charged with setting fire to a cat in Bucks County must be severely punished for such a heinous crime ("Bucks man accused of burning cat can keep 2d," Feb. 2). In addition, he must be prevented from having any contact with any other animals, even if it means depriving his son of another kitten that has been living in the home. Animal abuse is an ominous sign. In Deadly Serious, which offers an FBI perspective on animal cruelty, Special Agent Alan Brantley recounted numerous profiles of violent criminals who had histories of animal abuse.

WILL RONNIE Polaneczky kindly explain why she feels a bill to reduce animal abuse is a trivial matter? When it comes to animal abuse, the state of Pennsylvania still lingers in the dark ages. We finally see a state legislator doing something to reduce the horror in puppy mills, which mills should be outlawed altogether. So don't go off the deep end, Ronnie. Man's best friend is still in deep trouble. Helene Schwartz, Pennsauken

RE CHERYL B. Green's letter regarding paying attention to human abuse: I don't think she really gets it. No one is putting animal abuse above human abuse. What Michael Vick did is against the law, and he should be prosecuted for this. There is no country that legalizes animal abuse, and this is a civilized country that will not stand for it. And hasn't it been noted that boys who kill cats and dogs often grow into adults who kill humans? What Michael Vick did is extremely ugly, he broke the law and should be prosecuted.

Her life was on the line, and in one moment, there was an opportunity to run. It didn't take long for her to get caught, but in the end, that break for freedom saved her hide - literally. Nearly a week after bolting from an Upper Darby slaughterhouse, a cow has been spared, destined to spend the rest of her life in a New York animal sanctuary. "Certainly, a cow that escapes its death and is running for its life and makes it out of a slaughterhouse facility is worth saving," said Elissa Katz, an animal-rights maven working on behalf of Animal ACTivists of Philly, which led the charge to save the cow. The deal was made only after Katz connected with a Muslim-rights group to work on behalf of the butcher shop, and both got the state Department of Agriculture to waive regulations forbidding the sale of animals bound for slaughter, and other rules.

JUST BACK from the West Coast, Phillies including Ryan Howard , Roy Halladay , Jimmy Rollins , Cole Hamels and Kyle Kendrick turned up at the Electric Factory on Thursday night to support Chase Utley and wife Jen at their annual All-Star Animals Casino Night to benefit the Pennsylvania SPCA. The couple formed the Etana Fund to Stop Cruelty Against Animals with the PSPCA several years ago. It's named after an abused dog whose medical bills the couple paid.

THE HONEYMOON for Gov. Corbett must end for the sake of Pennsylvania's future. In his attempt to adhere to his campaign promise and no-tax-hike pledge, he's chosen to stand with the gas companies that funded his campaign rather than the people of Pennsylvania. I fear his legacy could be an economic tsunami the likes of which hasn't been seen since the days of Herbert Hoover. Cutting $1 billion in state funds from public and charter schools will not help classroom performance, period.

At first, a band of stray cats occupied the filthy basement of the abandoned house on Camden's Lansdowne Avenue. Then, when the weather turned unforgiving, a pointy-eared shepherd mix and striped-nosed pit bull chased the scraggly felines out a cracked window. Now, they had a warmer place to crash. The pair roamed the yard and howled through the nights, next-door neighbor Anthony Jones said on a frostbitten afternoon last week in the Whitman Park neighborhood. "I would have called somebody," said Jones, 33, who has lived on the street his whole life.

RE ANGELA Mooney's letter about sex offenders being given the opportunity to work in schools and Michael Vick not being allowed to own a dog: Ms. Mooney should take a crash course in history. Child protective services arose out of the animal rights movement. Before the late 19th century, laws governing child abuse were minimal and the current laws were based on animal-protection organization models. Also, the link between children who witness and engage in animal abuse and their graduation to harming people is well documented.

Animal-rights activists were divided Tuesday night over Michael Vick's promotion to Eagles starting quarterback. Tom Hickey Sr., who was critical of the team's original decision to sign Michael Vick, expressed renewed outrage over the Eagles' decision. "This is just another disappointing move of many that the Eagles have done since they signed him," said Hickey, a member of the Pennsylvania Dog Law Advisory board and founder of DogPAC, an animal welfare organization. "The same hands that just three years ago were torturing and killing animals in the most brutal possible ways are now going to be given a starting job because he can throw a football.

Philadelphia animal-cruelty officers say six Lancaster County breeders sold sick, defective dogs at an Ohio auction last October and should be prosecuted for animal abuse. The breeders say the investigators fabricated phony abuse in a stunt to fan media attention and spur donations from pet-lovers. A judge will decide who's right, because the breeders have filed a federal lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals (PSPCA) and Main Line Animal Rescue.

I WOULD LIKE TO know where all the neighbors on Front Street in Feltonville were when all those animals were being slaughtered. From the looks of that porch, wouldn't someone in their right mind call the PSPCA or the cops? It's up to all the neighbors who live around these abusers to do something about it. I also think Michael Vick should have been on that porch instead of getting an "Ed Block Courage Award. " Sandy Ward Philadelphia

REDEMPTION can sometimes be sweet. Just take a look at the face of Eagles coach Andy Reid when quarterback Michael Vick scored his first touchdown on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, the team he led before having to serve time for running a dogfighting ring. The usually stolid Reid threw his arms up in the air, pumped his fists, and grinned from ear to ear. And why not? Despite being on the visiting team this time, Vick's score was cheered by thousands in the stadium who were apparently glad to have him back in Atlanta and seemed willing to give him a second chance.

A Port Richmond woman arrested Wednesday on animal-cruelty charges was arraigned yesterday and released from custody after posting $750 bail, according to court records and police. Virginia Wetzel, 70, of Monmouth Street near Belgrade, surrendered the animals Wednesday evening to the custody of the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Officers for the PSPCA found 21 animals - 12 cats and nine dogs - in Wetzel's debris-filled, two-story home. The skeletal remains of four animals were also found, two of them under Wetzel's bed. The animals rescued were examined by PSPCA veterinarians and found to have no serious injuries.