Man Guilty in Road Rage Dog Death

M

meezercat

Chief Talker
PF Member
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - A man was convicted Tuesday of tossing a little dog to its death on a busy highway in a bout of road rage and could get up to three years in prison.

A jury took less than an hour to convict Andrew Burnett, 27, of animal cruelty for killing Leo, a fluffy white bichon frise, in a case that outraged dog lovers. Dog lovers and others had donated $120,000 to find Leo's killer - more than the reward fund in many local missing-child cases.

"It doesn't bring Leo back but at least Leo had his day," owner Sara McBurnett said after the verdict. "One cruel person has been accountable for their cruelty."

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"I suspect that many an ailurophobe hates cats only because he feels they are better people than he is; more honest, more secure, more loved, more whatever he is not."

--Winifred Carriere
 
I don't think the dog should have been killed. But the public's reaction is nothing short of a joke. How can a dog be more important than a human?
 
Just a guess, PIT, but it would seem you don't have any animals in your household.

My cats are like my children to me. If someone killed one of them, you'd better believe I'd prosecute them.

I don't know if I'd say that animals are MORE important than humans, but they're certainly not LESS important.

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"I suspect that many an ailurophobe hates cats only because he feels they are better people than he is; more honest, more secure, more loved, more whatever he is not."

--Winifred Carriere
 
I have a cat, actually. One who I would miss very much if he was to pass away, and if he was to be killed, would be very rightly angry. But he is still a cat. I am still a human. There is a difference. I think some people confuse the two.
 
I don't think anyone is confusing anything.

I just personally do not view humans as being more important than animals. Lots of other people feel that way as well.

I was as equally as horrified by this incident as I would have been had the dog been a human child.

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"I suspect that many an ailurophobe hates cats only because he feels they are better people than he is; more honest, more secure, more loved, more whatever he is not."

--Winifred Carriere
 
I just personally view animals as being animals, and humans as being humans. While I despise animal cruelty, animals are not humans, much as some people would like to think they are, and someone guilty of animal cruelty doesn't deserve the same sentence as if it were a human.
 
PsychoticIckyThing:
How can a dog be more important than a human?
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can i smack you upside the head with a 2X4? this story makes me sick left and right. and it has nothing to do with dogs vs human importance. the dog was just looking to be petted, being friendly. and this **** fachunking arsehole (only appropriate words) throws him into traffic. would it not be a crime if this man grabbed this woman's infant and threw it into traffic? i see it as pretty **** close to the same thing. my dogs are my children. they are an intregral part of my family. i may as well have birthed them myself. i don't think anything cuter could come from me anyways.
this guy is an arsehole. and a sweetie pie dog is always more important to an arsehole like this. and who the fachunk came up with that humans are better than any other animal? we are animals too, ya know. oh wait... let's whip out that bible defense, cause god created us in his image. well you can urinate on it. animals have less and less opportunities and fulfilment in life because of us humans. and as for the owl that attacked my uncle, wayyy smarter and more important than my uncle. if i could i would give that owl everything in the world it ever wanted in life and more. i would build it a HUGE house with lots of seed-producing plants, where it wont have to worry about us stupid bipedals taking over its habitat...

<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by SwissSmiss on June 19, 2001 at 09:46 PM]</font>
 
Personally, I find it sick, myself. I love my cat, to death. If someone were to do anything awful to him, they'd be in serious trouble with me....

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Does driving a car from Saturn make me an alien?

That which does not make me barf, makes me stronger - possum37, fugly.net guru.
 
Originally posted by JHowse:
Personally, I find it sick, myself. I love my cat, to death. If someone were to do anything awful to him, they'd be in serious trouble with me....
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Ditto here.
What I'm disagreeing with is treating the killing of a dog the same as the killing of a child.
 
Originally posted by PsychoticIckyThing:
I just personally view animals as being animals, and humans as being humans.
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So do I. I just don't think humans have some sort of divine right that makes them better than animals. And while animals may not be humans, humans ARE animals, like it or not.

While I despise animal cruelty, animals are not humans, much as some people would like to think they are,
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I haven't seen anyone in this discussion claim that animals were humans.

and someone guilty of animal cruelty doesn't deserve the same sentence as if it were a human.
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Regardless of my feelings on this, he DIDN'T GET the same sentence as if it were a human. He could *possibly* get up to three years in prison. If he'd thrown an infant into traffic, he'd be looking at much more, possibly life in prison.

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"I suspect that many an ailurophobe hates cats only because he feels they are better people than he is; more honest, more secure, more loved, more whatever he is not."

--Winifred Carriere

<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by hermanm on June 20, 2001 at 09:47 AM]</font>
 
I put the recent abhorrable actions on the same plain as killing an infant as well, Smiss -- I liked that analogy. I see both beings -- a domesitcated pet, and an infant, as completely unable to defend themselves on account of their size. The pup was a completely innocent victim and target of rage, whose life was taken completely at the whim of his attacaker. This case pains me deeply.

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In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man;
if you want anything done, ask a woman. -Margaret Thatcher

"Holy dung!" -- Monsiuerjohn, 1:54 am

En fuego, bebé.
 
I must say I too agree with that analagy. To me, there are no differences between a pet and a baby. Neither of them know anything else but love. Why destroy something as beautiful as that? IF in fact that dog did bite the man, which I don't believe the dog did (he should have), that dog was just protecting himself and his owner (mommy) and his territory. Dog's know when their humans are upset and threatened and will defend them if they feel necessary. A baby may not be able to do that but neither can voice their intentions, and neither deserve to die because of their actions of protection or just being who they are.

If someone were to threaten or hurt my doggies you bet I'd do something to make that person pay. It scares me everyday that if someone were to break into my house and hurt my dogs. I don't care if they take something as long as my dogs are not harmed in anyway. THAT is how strongly I feel about them. So I'm all for prosecuting that jerk for doing what he did to that dog. he should have been prosecuted for more time, but some time is better than nothing. For property's sake, that dog wasn't his to do as he pleases, it was the woman's. For personal sake, he just took something dear to her and like that owl protecting her family ( http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/Forum16/HTML/000343.html ) she too is going to feel threatened and upset if her dog that she cared for and loved all his life is just tossed out the window and killed right in front of her.

Dogs and other pets may not be human but they are a large part of people's lives. They deserve the same love and care as any human baby or child. They eat, drink, poop, communicate, sleep, get sick, and need attention just like human children do. I don't see much of a difference besides being a little hairier and sometimes cuter.

When I read that story it made me sick to my stomach and to see the defendant winking to his mother and fiancee like he had no care or concern about this only made me angrier
furious.gif


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Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength;
while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
--Lao Tzu

"Whatever tomorrow brings I'll be there with open arms and open eyes." --Incubus 'Drive'
 
Originally posted by Lysithea:
Dogs and other pets may not be human but they are a large part of people's lives. They deserve the same love and care as any human baby or child. They eat, drink, poop, communicate, sleep, get sick, and need attention just like human children do.
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So true.

And let's not forget, they love their families just like human children do. I'm amazed at the capacity that cats and dogs (and I'm sure other animals, too) have to love.

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"I suspect that many an ailurophobe hates cats only because he feels they are better people than he is; more honest, more secure, more loved, more whatever he is not."

--Winifred Carriere
 
He'll be sentenced in 3 weeks.

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"I suspect that many an ailurophobe hates cats only because he feels they are better people than he is; more honest, more secure, more loved, more whatever he is not."

--Winifred Carriere
 
Originally posted by Lysithea:
IF in fact that dog did bite the man, which I don't believe the dog did (he should have), that dog was just protecting himself and his owner (mommy) and his territory. Dog's know when their humans are upset and threatened and will defend them if they feel necessary
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If I'd gone to talk to a driver, and a dog bit me, I wouldn't be surprised if I'd thrown it into oncoming traffic.

If the dog didn't bite the guy, then it's a case of animal cruelty, which probably deserves a couple of months in prison, but if the dog bit him, it's a totally different story.

If you can't train the dog not to bite innocent people, don't whinge when it bites one and pays the ultimate price.
 
Originally posted by PsychoticIckyThing:
If I'd gone to talk to a driver, and a dog bit me, I wouldn't be surprised if I'd thrown it into oncoming traffic.
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shakehead.gif
I sincerely hope you don't mean that -- how can you attribute rational thought, and thus conseqenses of certain actions to a dog? If you're upset that the owner didn't train the dog, shouldn't your anger be directed toward the owner? Wouldn't that more sensibly address the root of your problem? It's like sentencing guns or knvies to prison time or extermination if they are used to inflict harm upon a person.


For anyone who doesn't know, bichon frises, like my dear Remy, are little tiny white loving lap dogs. Knowing how my dog is, Leo was probably excited to see the guy coming to the window, and most likely came up onto the drivers lap just to get closer to him, and maybe extend a lick. Pets, like babies are helpless loving beings. They give us love and affection, and in return we take care of them.



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In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man;
if you want anything done, ask a woman. -Margaret Thatcher

"Holy dung!" -- Monsiuerjohn, 1:54 am

En fuego, bebé.
 
i dont think the dog bit the guy. i read this story in mccall's several months prior before they found the guy and the story made it to national news. in this story, it just didnt seem like it. and i dont see this kind of dog biting anyone. and if so, not hard. the only time i ever get bit by one of my dogs is by my smaller one, and if i hurt him first. and it isnt a real bite. he puts his teeth on my nose, then he kisses me like crazy after. and my dog would be about the same size as poor Leo...
frown.gif
 
Originally posted by PsychoticIckyThing:
If I'd gone to talk to a driver, and a dog bit me, I wouldn't be surprised if I'd thrown it into oncoming traffic.
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I honestly can't believe you even said that.

I doubt he got bitten too, but even if he did, it would have been because he was already reaching into the car. A dog that size wouldn't be able to lean out the window and take a chunk out of someone's arm.

If the dog didn't bite the guy, then it's a case of animal cruelty, which probably deserves a couple of months in prison, but if the dog bit him, it's a totally different story.
Click to expand...

Would you throw a child into oncoming traffic if it bit you? You know, children, especially toddler age, do have a tendency to bite.

If you can't train the dog not to bite innocent people, don't whinge when it bites one and pays the ultimate price.
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And let's hope no poor woman whose 3 year old kid isn't "trained" not to bite, ever comes across you when her child is in a bad mood.

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"I suspect that many an ailurophobe hates cats only because he feels they are better people than he is; more honest, more secure, more loved, more whatever he is not."

--Winifred Carriere
 
I don't know if the dog bit him. If it didn't bite him - then, as I said, it's animal cruelty, and he deserves probably three months in prison.

Surely you don't have to resort to personal attacks, hermie?

It's almost amusing how you're starting to contradict yourself, KNS. One on hand, dogs aren't capable of rational thought. On the other hand, you're arguing for dogs to have the same rights as humans. Something doesn't add up.
 
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