Animal Abuse

The state House on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would require those charged with animal abuse to either surrender their seized pets to shelters or pay for the cost of their care until the case is resolved. The measure is aimed at easing the burden of nonprofit shelters that pay thousands for food, housing, and veterinary care of animals removed from inhumane conditions, but that rarely receive restitution from those convicted of abuse. The bill passed by 163-34. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.

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

The state House on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would require those charged with animal abuse to either surrender their seized pets to shelters or pay for the cost of their care until the case is resolved. The measure is aimed at easing the burden of nonprofit shelters that pay thousands for food, housing, and veterinary care of animals removed from inhumane conditions, but that rarely receive restitution from those convicted of abuse. The bill passed by 163-34. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.

LAST WEEKEND, Chris Brown got into a Twitter battle with comedy writer Jenny Johnson (@JennyJohnsonhi5), prompting Brown to delete his account. Every time Brown tweeted, Johnson would come back at him, reminding her 300,000-plus followers that he's a woman-beater, referring to the 2009 incident where he was arrested for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna . Brown's response was to tell Johnson that he planned on pooping in her eye and various other things that the Daily News is, believe it or not, too classy to repeat.

The Pennsylvania SPCA is launching an initiative to stop animal cruelty, spurred by a recent spate of violence against dogs and cats in the Philadelphia area. At a rally Thursday night, PSPCA chief executive Jerry Buckley said the agency hoped to raise $100,000 to hire a full-time education coordinator and offer more programs for schools, community groups, camps, and after-school activities. The rally was held in front of the agency's building on East Erie Avenue. About 150 animal lovers attended "Justice for Chloe and Hercules," named for two pit-bull mixes who were set on fire in recent weeks.

The Pennsylvania SPCA is launching a new initiative to stop animal cruelty, spurred by a recent spate of violence against dogs and cats in the Philadelphia area. At a rally Thursday night, PSPCA chief executive Jerry Buckley said the agency hoped to raise $100,000 to hire a full-time education coordinator and offer more programs for schools, community groups, camps and after-school activities. The rally was held in front of the agency's building on East Erie Avenue in North Philadelphia.

In the last four weeks, at least four dogs and cats have been set on fire in the Philadelphia area. The cases have alarmed authorities and horrified the public, but officials at the Pennsylvania SPCA hope some good may come from the abuse. "In a way, Chloe and Hercules are like the ambassadors for all animals, to speak against all forms of cruelty," PSPCA spokeswoman Wendy Marano said, referring to two pit bull mixes who were badly burned. During a rally Thursday night at PSPCA headquarters, the agency will announce a public-education initiative aimed at preventing and solving animal-abuse cases.

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.