Target: Gabe Gore, Circuit Attorney for the City of St. Louis, Missouri
Goal: Impose the harshest felony penalties and a lifetime animal-ownership ban on the individual who reportedly transported 16 dogs in lethal heat, resulting in four deaths and multiple critical injuries.
Police say 38-year-old Robert Peters drove a box truck to a local crematorium and requested the cremation of four dogs. Staff members grew suspicious, and responding officers allegedly uncovered a scene of appalling neglect: 16 crated dogs stacked atop one another, many coated in their own feces and urine and enveloped in a “sawdust-like powder.” Temperatures inside the truck were reportedly so high that several animals appeared lethargic or near collapse. Per reports, four were already dead, seven more were listed in critical condition, and five were in stable yet fragile health.
According to authorities, Peters claimed to operate a pet-transport business out of his Oklahoma home. Investigators, however, allegedly found no evidence of proper care, ventilation, or basic sanitation for the animals in his custody. Nine of the 16 charges levied against him are felony counts of animal abuse, and he is currently being held without bond.
Repeated warnings about the dangers of extreme heat inside vehicles have done little to curb such cruelty. Sign below to demand the strongest possible punishment—including lengthy incarceration, substantial fines, and a lifelong prohibition on animal ownership—to send a clear message that deliberately exposing animals to deadly conditions will not be tolerated.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Circuit Attorney Gore,
St. Louis police report that officers recently found 16 dogs confined in a box truck without adequate ventilation or sanitation. Four animals were reportedly dead on arrival, seven others were in critical condition, and the remaining five were in distress. Investigators allege that the truck’s owner, Robert Peters, planned to cremate the deceased dogs before the grim circumstances were discovered.
The details outlined by law enforcement—including dogs covered in excrement, struggling to breathe in extreme heat—suggest prolonged, knowing neglect. Missouri statutes permit felony prosecution when animals are subjected to such severe suffering. Anything less than the most serious charges and sentencing would understate the gravity of the alleged offenses.
We respectfully urge your office to pursue every felony count supported by evidence, seek meaningful jail time and significant fines, and request a permanent ban preventing the defendant from owning or transporting animals in the future. Robust action in this case can help deter similar atrocities and honor the lives of the animals who endured—and in some cases succumbed to—this reported abuse.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Chaoticfluffy
