Would it have been so hard to feed these dogs?
Instead of helping the 20 or so people (and dogs) who had to leave the dogs behind by taking care of these friendly dogs...they murdered them.
I traveled over 1000 miles to end up in St. Bernard Parish rescuing over 500 pets, returning many to desperate owners in the days after Katrina. How hard would it have been to feed these peoples pets? No other Parish saw the need to shoot wild dogs. Quite the opposite. I saw this school, what a nightmare. All these people had to do was feed the dogs, not shoot them. Even 30-45 days after Katrina rarely was a dog dangerous. What hell those dogs must have went through in that killing hour, watching their people taken away in boats without them and then as these people came around shooting them one after the other, and all the time thinking this was "just shooting some dumb animals" Things have to change in this country...
Reprinted from: www.neworleanscitybusiness.com
http://www.neworleanscitybusiness.com/viewStory.cfm?recID=17461
Owners allege ‘gruesome’ pet slayings
by Richard A. Webster
12/04/2006
Judy Migliori is shown with her dog Gigi before Hurricane Katrina. The toy poodle was later found in St. Bernard High School shot in the head. (Photo courtesy Pet Jusice Project)
Judy Migliori is shown with her dog Gigi before Hurricane Katrina. The toy poodle was later found in St. Bernard High School shot in the head. (Photo courtesy Pet Jusice Project)
“It was a massacre,” said Mark Steinway, co-founder of Pasado’s Safe Haven, an animal welfare refuge in Sultan, Wash. “Dogs were shot in the hindquarters, shot in the gut, shot in the feet, in the mouth. It was very, very gruesome.”
On Oct. 2, New Orleans attorney Elaine Comiskey filed a civil lawsuit in U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana on behalf of more than 15 plaintiffs seeking compensatory and punitive damages for the wrongful destruction of their pets. Nearly 20 St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s deputies stand accused.
Louisiana Attorney General Charles Foti Jr. is conducting a separate investigation. Under Louisiana law animal cruelty is considered a felony. The maximum sentence for cruelly killing an animal is 10 years.
In all his years investigating cases of animal cruelty, Steinway said he has never seen anything that remotely approaches what occurred in three schools in St. Bernard Parish in the days following Hurricane Katrina. The bullet-riddled bodies of dozens of household pets littered the tiled hallways, some allegedly executed after they had been leashed and tied up by their owners.
Among the allegedly massacred was Gigi, an 8-pound, 7-year-old white toy poodle with red painted nails and a collar medallion of St. Francis Assisi, the patron saint of animals.
Gigi’s owner, Judy Migliori, brought the poodle to St. Bernard High School, a shelter of last resort, after the floodwaters engulfed her Violet home. Moments after she arrived at the shelter, police ushered her into a boat headed for higher ground.
Migliori clutched Gigi to her breast as she climbed onto the flat-bottom deck. She said a man with a hunting rifle stopped her, pointed at the dog and said pets were not allowed.
“I started crying and pleading and he said — I’ll never forget this — he said, ‘Ma’am, we can do it one of two ways: nicely or not nicely, and if need be I’ll handcuff you.’”
Migliori left Gigi behind after police assured her and the other pet owners their animals would be safe inside the school.
THIS POST CONTINUED IN THE COMMENTS...JUST CLICK "COMMENTS" BELOW TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE.
posted by EricsDogBlog.com @ Monday, December 04, 2006
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Weeks after the storm, reports circulated about the alleged slaughter of dozens of household pets in the three St. Bernard schools used as shelters — St. Bernard High School, Beauregard Middle School and Sebastien Roy Elementary School.
Steinway left the animal rescue shelter he established in Raceland post-hurricane to investigate.
Nothing, he said, could have prepared him for what he saw inside those buildings.
“There were bullets everywhere, shotgun shells everywhere, holes in the walls, holes in the floors,” Steinway said. “It was obvious someone was just chasing these dogs around the school wildly shooting at them.”
Among the animal carcasses was a small, white poodle with red-painted nails and a St. Francis of Assisi medallion. Gigi died of a gunshot to the head.
“I had a little bag of food for her and a bottle of water I shared with her,” said Migliori. “I’d pour the water in a cap and she would drink a little bit at a time. She was safe with me and I could have taken care of her. We loved her so much and she was murdered. I grieve for her every day.”
St. Bernard Sheriff mum
The St. Bernard Sheriff’s office declined to comment on the lawsuit which is expected to go to court sometime early next year. It issued a written statement denying the charges and declaring any actions taken were done with the “utmost care, caution and belief of its necessity” in a time of emergency.
St. Bernard deputies allegedly told Steinway they were under shoot-to-kill orders for dogs potentially packing up and becoming dangerous. Others were supposedly put out of their misery since they would most likely starve to death anyway.
Kelly Jenkins, founder of Metairie-based Pet Justice Project, said the breeds of dogs found shot in the schools — dachshunds, schnauzers, Pomeranians and miniature poodles — presented little danger of “packing up” and terrorizing the community.
Based on the carnage he saw inside the schools, Steinway disputes officers’ claims they killed animals to spare them from suffering.
“There was no attempt to euthanize these animals,” Steinway said. “It almost appeared to be target practice, an exercise that was fun for them.”
Necropsies performed on the animals by the Louisiana State University Department of Veterinary Pathology showed gunshots to the chest, abdomen, spine and face, which did not indicate mercy killings, Steinway said.
“I’ve gotten a crash course in Louisiana politics,” Steinway said. “I thought the AG’s office was on our side and that they were going to vigorously pursue this and nothing like that has happened. It has gotten squashed from day one.”
said the investigation is proceeding. Spokesperson Kris Wartelle said part of the case may soon go before a grand jury.
Other animal killings
Not all alleged pet killings took place in school shelters.
On Sept. 7, 2005, according to the lawsuit, an unidentified St. Bernard deputy removed a plaintiff and her daughter from their homes at gunpoint. The plaintiff allegedly remains anonymous for fear of reprisals from the sheriff’s department.
The report states the plaintiff went inside her house to retrieve some personal belongings, leaving her dog, Hooch, with deputies outside. She then heard two gunshots.
“Her dog, ‘Hooch,’ entered the house and ran upstairs,” according to the report. “Blood splatter covered his body and half his face (was) shot off. Plaintiff clearly recalls her final moments with Hooch, in which he seemed to be saying goodbye. His agony was real.”
Neither Comiskey nor Jenkins believes the plaintiffs will receive cash settlements. They say the purpose of the lawsuit is to bring alleged perpetrators to justice and to redefine domesticated animals under the law as something more than inanimate possessions.
“In the eyes of the law there’s not much difference between your pet and a mailbox,” Jenkins said.
Marilyn David, an adjunct professor at Tulane University Law School, is teaching an animal law course for the first time next semester. It is important to update laws that in many cases are hundreds of years old, David said.
“This isn’t a push for animal rights; it’s a push to protect animal welfare and to recognize that your aunt’s Chihuahua is worth more than a chair. It’s a reflection of our culture and how we treat our animals.”
St. Bernard resident John Bozes said he will never forget the day he returned to Beauregard Middle School to retrieve the remains of Angel Girl, his 2-year-old black Labrador retriever.
“When we walked into the school, we could smell the death in there,” Bozes said. “We went to Room 203 and we found the dogs. They were all shot. I knelt in Angel Girl’s blood. I still have nightmares about it.”•
Animal Rescue New Orleans is once again in dire need of food and money. Please consider making a donation at http://www.animalrescueneworleans.org.
Letter from Dana Liebert whose dog Tobias is still missing:
Thanks To all of who have helped in the prosecuting of ST. Bernard's finest police officers
(finest???yeah, what a joke!)
My name is Dana Liebert and Im a native of ST.Bernard Parish. Im living back down in my parish since April 2006. At
first I wasnt going back to my hometown because of the events that took place down there! But the average everyday citizens is who saved our lives risking their own. It is us as the people who make this a community, not high officials or politics!! Yes, I may be living inside a Fema Trailor in front of a brick structure house which use to be a home. But myself and others are rising against such evil forces with determination to rebuild. Stupid?? perhaps, but my babies are buried in my backyard and my memories of them and Tobias are still there and Its something, very hard to walk away from. The shootings that took place by police officers and whomever else will get the justice they deserve. It is all a process and lots of patience is needed in the long drawing out of all this. Many of my friends animals were shot after we were shipped away on boats! I still search for my dog,Tobias,with hopes that he is alive somewhere out there! But, sometimes I really feel my own dog could be one of the ones shot by these cruel people because, whenever, I went to speak to any deputy, in search of him showing his picture, every single cop was hush-hush, change the subject type of attitude shown fourth. Every single cop and some, I knew personally my whole life were quiet and cover up the subject, of our pets. Some were teary eyed while others were hard-stone cold! As many policemen, I went too and spoke too, not 1 cop would speak against their kind and the brutal shootings were totally denied by every single one of them. I
Just hope that a closure will happen for me and my friends whoms horse and two dogs were brutally killed by bullets.
Thank You so much Mark with Pasado Safe Haven for continuing this investigation with out giving up. Also, Thank you
Eric Rice for having your blog and updating everyone on the latest news about this investigation and educating readers
of the true reality set fourth by us innocent citizens of ST.Bernard Parish during the tragedy of Katrina. We trusted the system of our high officials that week, being said that all of our pets would be safe and well taken care of. Little did any of us know, We would never see our beloved pets, again.
God Bless,
Dana Liebert
God Bless you.
Dana Liebert (Tobias Mom)
Hope you're well, Eric.
A little bit of good news below. It's a start. ~ Jennifer
Deputies indicted in dog shootings
Felony cruelty case based on videotape
Thursday, December 07, 2006
By Karen Turni Bazile
A state grand jury has indicted two St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office deputies for allegedly shooting dogs to death during the chaotic days after Hurricane Katrina.
The grand jury in Chalmette indicted Michael Minton and Clifford "Chip" Englande on the felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals. The indictments say the deputies "intentionally tortured and maimed numerous dogs, which were wandering the streets of St. Bernard Parish after Hurricane Katrina," and that their "actions resulted in the deaths of these animals."
Kris Wartelle, spokeswoman for state Attorney General Charles Foti, whose office investigated the case and will prosecute it, said the indictments are based in part on a videotape shot by a member of the Dallas media that shows deputies shooting dogs in the streets.
St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack Stephens said Minton, 43, a sergeant who was hired in the spring of 1991, left the department in February.
Englande, 34, a sergeant who also joined the department in the spring of 1991, has been assigned to administrative duties since the indictment, Stephens said.
Efforts to contact Englande and Minton on Wednesday afternoon were unsuccessful.
"The allegations and the charges were disturbing from the onset," Stephens said. "We didn't want anyone to think we were covering up, so we formally referred the investigation over to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the state attorney general."
Stephens said he has not seen the video.
"We stand behind our deputies," Stephens said. "Their actions during and after the storm were heroic."
Stephens said sheriff's deputies and parish firefighters forced residents to leave their pets behind when they were evacuating people to safety.
"We are over a whole year from the event now," Stephens said. "Unless you were here, it's difficult to understand the dire circumstances we faced here."
After the indictments were handed down, Minton and Englande surrendered to authorities, and they were booked and released, said Col. Richard Baumy, spokesman for the Sheriff's Office. They were released to their wives on $10,000 personal surety bonds.
The indictments do not address reports that dogs were shot and killed in three schools after authorities forced the pets' owners to leave them behind during evacuations, Wartelle said. She said she couldn't comment further because the case is ongoing.
The owners of some of the dogs have filed suit in federal court in New Orleans against St. Bernard Parish government, Parish President Henry "Junior" Rodriguez, the Parish Council, Stephens and numerous deputies.
Susan Michaels, co-founder of Pasado's Safe Haven, a national animal welfare organization that helped pet owners file the suit, said her group paid for necropsies on 33 dead dog gathered at three schools.
"They weren't shot directly in the head where they would have been put out of their misery. The way they were shot indicated prolonged suffering," Michaels said of the dogs in the schools. "These people scrawled messages on the walls, 'Please don't shoot my dogs.' They had plenty of food and water for the animals."
Thank you for all that you do over in New Orleans.
I just signed on to be a new member of Noah's Wish and Emergency Animal Rescue Service so I can help animals during and after disasters like you too.
I've added you onto my blog links because I think yours is a worthwhile blog to read. I hope this is OK. I think folks will be encouraged to do more once they read your thoughts over in N.O.
WAY TO GO ERIC!!!!!!!!!!!!
i posted this on my blog and on other blogs, in hopes that ppl see this horrible horrible event!
best of luck and keep on finding the truth and saving animals! Noah would be proud!!!!!!!!!!!
http://murphys-ponders-from-the-litter-box.blogspot.com/
regards,, Lee and Company!!!!
Would like to take a moment to urge everyone who reads this blog to get together with your neighbors and make a disaster plan. Are there seniors or others who would require help? Can you be the voice for animals on your block? Are there circumstances that would put your area at special risk? What can you do to give your pets a better chance at surviving? Could you identify your neighbors pets if necessary and can they identify yours? Do your pets have up to date shots, ID tags, microchips? There is no time like the present to plan for an emergency. We cannot depend on our inept government, can we depend on YOU?
wow, great post, but very sad news about a aweful time.
""The allegations and the charges were disturbing from the onset," Stephens said. "We didn't want anyone to think we were covering up, so we formally referred the investigation over to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the state attorney general."
Stephens said he has not seen the video.
"We stand behind our deputies," Stephens said. "Their actions during and after the storm were heroic."
"
He hasn't seen the video, why not?
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