Target: Rachel Mitchell, Maricopa County, AZ Attorney
Goal: Prosecute to the fullest extent of the law the individual arrested on multiple felony animal abuse charges after three dogs were allegedly found dead and others in distress.
A man reportedly evaded arrest for four days before being apprehended, after the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office described the animal abuse case against him as “one of the most disturbing things we’ve come across.” Three deceased dogs were transported to a veterinarian for necropsy to determine the cause of death, while other dogs found at the scene were in distress and are now being held as evidence while receiving care, according to reports. The accused had been the subject of a prior animal cruelty charge in another Arizona county, raising deeply troubling concerns that a pattern of harm toward animals has gone inadequately addressed and escalated.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy described this case in terms that should give every animal advocate pause — and the seriousness of that description demands an equally serious prosecutorial response. Additional charges are pending the results of ongoing necropsy and veterinary testing, meaning the full scope of the alleged conduct may not yet be fully understood.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office must pursue this case with the full force of Arizona’s animal cruelty statutes and ensure that every charge — including those yet to be filed — is prosecuted to the maximum extent the law allows. Sign this petition to demand justice for the dogs who allegedly died and those who allegedly survived.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Attorney Mitchell,
We are writing to urge your office to pursue the maximum penalties available under Arizona law against the individual arrested on multiple felony animal abuse charges after three dogs were allegedly found dead and others were discovered in distress at a property in Gila Bend. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has described this as “one of the most disturbing things we’ve come across,” and the Chief Deputy personally characterized the alleged conduct in the gravest possible terms. Three animals allegedly died. Others were reportedly found suffering. And the accused had already faced animal cruelty charges in another Arizona county — a prior history that makes this pattern of alleged violence toward animals all the more serious.
Additional charges are pending the results of ongoing necropsies and veterinary testing, and we urge your office to pursue each and every charge that the evidence supports, without exception. The fact that this individual reportedly evaded arrest for four days suggests an awareness of the seriousness of the alleged conduct — and the prosecution must respond with equal seriousness in court.
We respectfully but firmly demand that your office work closely with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office to build the strongest possible case and pursue conviction and the maximum available sentencing on all charges filed. The dogs who allegedly died in this case had no means of seeking help or justice — it is now entirely up to the legal system to speak for them.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Mike
