Target: Scott Rueter, States Attorney, Macon County, Illinois
Goal: Seek maximum punishment for couple accused of leaving dogs outside in below zero temperatures.
Five dogs were apparently found freezing to death outside a home in Decatur, Illinois. Thanks to concerned neighbors, authorities were notified of the situation.
When sheriff’s office deputies arrived on scene, they reportedly found the dogs in bad shape. According to accounts, one of the five dogs was in such bad shape that it was immediately confiscated and transported to a local vet. Unfortunately, this poor animal, an American bulldog, was suffering from extreme hypothermia and was euthanized at the University of Illinois Veterinary Clinic in Urbana.
The sheriff’s office reports that 42-year-old Mark Miller, Jr., and 39-year-old Nyssa Richards were both charged with animal cruelty and neglect, Class A misdemeanors. As is often the case with animal abuse, both Miller and Richards were simply given a citation and a notice to appear. They were not arrested or jailed.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Rueter,
It is important to forgive and to be kind, but there is no excuse and no forgiving for animal abuse.
Sheriff deputies in your jurisdiction recently cited two individuals for apparently leaving five of their dogs outside in negative 16 degree wind chills. One of the dogs suffered severe hypothermia, causing vets to euthanize the poor animal.
There is no reason five dogs should be left outside to freeze to death in these conditions. As is often the case with animal abuse, the two individuals accused of this crime are not sitting in jail, but are walking the streets free. We ask that you please prosecute this case to the fullest extent allowed under the law.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Leave these piece of shit owners outside & see if they would survive.
Perfect idea
The perfect punishment at no cost to the taxpayers! If it’s too cold for you …it’s too cold for them !!!
Exactly! Why do we keep putting up with this crap treatment of dogs and cats and other animals. How hard is it to let your dogs in when you KNOW the Temps upside are freezing. These 2 idiots should be fined and jailed and never allowed to own another animal!
Death to these murderers!! The unbelievable pain and suffering these two monsters caused these dogs is unforgivable and must be punished to the strictest of law!! If the law does not do it then come on, people, let street justice take over!! Suffer and die!!!
I agree. They need to serve time in jail for this cruelty! Unacceptable😞
I almost agree… Leave them outside naked to suffer! Can’t stand these POS people. They should also shame them by posting their pictures everywhere!
I TOTALLY AGREE!
I have ABSOLUTELY NO SYMPATHY for this COUPLE who are POS!! DAMN THEM!! This abuse should have been dealt with 9 years ago, the authorities are part of the problem ignoring reports.
Jail is too good for people that display such cruelty. AN EYE FOR AN EYE!!!
There’s a rental property in Bondville,IL with the same animal cruelty/neglect and “authorities” refuse to remove the 3 dogs chained outside. The whole town calls, nothing is ever done. It’s absolutely disgusting that these people are allowed to keep these dogs. They aren’t pets, just prisoners chained to trees.
Omg, please don’t stop Protesting, call local police, media with everyone involved, do everything u can Christine! #SaveThoseBabies!
Yes please keep trying. Is there no local humane society/ASPCA? I called my local ASPCA about an abusive woman to her dog right in front of neighbors while she was walking him. He came within the hour. He went in and examined the dog and said next time he removes the dog. She never did it again. We watch when she walks the dog.
Get a bolt cutter and take the dogs to safety!!
They can’t do a thing to u as they do nothing to the abusers!
Horrible. Most of the time law enforcement do not do thier jobs!!
I have called the city multiple times regarding the abuse of these poor dogs. They just kept telling me there was nothing they could do about the abuse. I have watched the dogs in the summer heat with no water or shade. They have been tied on short chains unable to get any relief from the weather. This has been going on for at least 9 years that I have been watching. What is even more troubling is that there is different dogs that are there for awhile then disappear and new ones show up. I am sure that the ones that disappear are dead or have been used as bate dogs. Thank the Lord something is finally being done to those horrible people. I would be more than happy to go to court and testify against them and tell all of the abuse I have seen.
This post is in reference to the people in Forsyth, Illinois not Texas
In Texas you are allowed to leep short chains on dogs outside. That vile pos Gov.refused to sign anti- cruelty law in Texas. And nothing is being done about wild animals people are allowed to have in Texas. No punishment for wild cat owners. Here in NY? YOUR ASS WILL BE ARRESTED AND FINED AND/OR JAIL. Just imagine if some wild animal that escaped, and they did, went after a human being and God forbid a child.
Just because it’s allowed, doesn’t make it right for the dog!
Exactly!! Trash do not get it.
And let us not forget Florida where wild animals are kept. Owner just got a fine when tiger escaped.
Peggy- Let’s post the address!
Film it and start a petition. Send it to the local news. Call zoning. Find a way to bring attention.
Yes Peggy, Please call the local news and the ASPCA 757-622-7382 NOW! It is going to get cold again. It is illegal to leave any dog outside in cold & hold weather.
Scream! Yell! Do whatever it takes!! PLEASE SAVE THESE DOGS!!
Remember good old STREET JUSTICE!!! BEAT THESE MONSTERS TO DEATH!!
Yes please keep trying. Is there no local humane society/ASPCA? I called my local ASPCA about an abusive woman to her dog right in front of neighbors while she was walking him. He came within the hour. He went in and examined the dog and said next time he removes the dog. She never did it again. We watch when she walks the dog.
Somebody should have set them free, cut the chain.
Send the governor this story, he is responsible for this digs death, too!!
Judge should tie the trash guardian’’
to that tree and see how they survive! They wouldn’t do it again so fast.
Laws need to be changed. No being should be made to suffer without having their abusers pay a heavy price both monetarily and personally
These monsters need jail time with their crime made known
Chain this couple outside and let THEM freeze slowly to death. They are no use to anyone and won’t be missed…..
This Was Not in Forsyth! It was out in the fair grounds area near 121
If someone entered the garden and “stole” (RESCUED) the dogs Peggy Hays mentions you can bet your life the authorities would be there like a shot and the “culprits”, if found, would be jailed for theft!! Strange, isn’t it, the way so called “justice” works????
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I hope all dogs were taken as these assholes don’t deserve animal companionship. Make them pay for all the care then stake them outside with no clothes in the cold. I have NO compassion for subhumans like this
There are NO words for people who do this! We can only hope, their day will come!
Those two idiot dog owners need to be banned from ever owning any sort of animal ever again.
They also need to be left outside overnight in negative 16 degree weather or colder! Please make this happen .. No dog deserves death!
I believe in karma. Womam threw out pregnant cat like garbage not too far from me. Rescuer took cat in and she had her babies two days later. Know what happened to pos who threw cat out? THROWN OUT AND HOMELESS TWO YEARS LATER.
Please see that these people are given lifetime bans from owning ANY animal. Please save other animals from this abuse! It’s 2023. We need to be able to do more to help animals and punish abusers.
We as human beings have duty of care, to each other, ALL animals and the planet. If we fail in this duty we fail our humanity. These two need more than a citation, the one dog that died, that was murder, due to their neglect. Stronger laws for animals.
This CRUEL ABUSIVE OWNER should be LEFT OUT IN THE FREEZING COLD WEATHER FOR THE REST OF HIS/HER MISERABLE LIFE!!! He/she should NEVER be ALLOWED TO OWN, ADOPT, AMD BE NEAR ANY MORE DPGS AS WELL AS AOLL OTHER ANIMALS TOO starting ASAP!!!
LEAVE THAT MONSTER OF AN OWNER ALSO OUTSIDE AT MINUS 16°C. NO MERCY.
I hope these scum bags get what they deserve should be given jail time
MISDEMEANOR????? ANIMAL ABUSE/CRUELTY IS A FELONY!!!!! You had to put one down what do you think they will STILL do with the others???? It starts with the justice system DO SOMETHING TO PROTECT THE OTHERS… LIkE TAKE THEM OUT OF HOUSE.
Animal abuse laws need to be overhauled everywhere. The laws are not a deterrent.
The problem is that most law enforcement do not do thier jobs. Laws are in place but are not enforced.
SERIOUSY, only misdemeanors. They both should be charged with felonies & never ever allowed to own a dog again. How could the heartless devils look out a window & think seeing these poor dogs out in the elements think this was acceptable. No doubt about it, Illinois needs to change their laws regarding animal abuse & neglect towards companion animals.
Put the humans outside and let the dogs inside. This is a felony and they deserve jail time and financial punishment. Homeless people take better care of their dogs than most people.
Yes!! Homeless people do take better care of thier pets. There is documentary called Cat Daddies where homeless man has cat and does everything in his power to take care of him. Few years ago i ran into homeless person in grocery store and used his last coins to buy can of cat food. I went outside and he fed a stray. Struck up a conversation with him. He asks people to give him a dollar or buy can of cat food.