Hunter Shoots Child Cancer Victim's Puppy
I should point out here that I’m not anti hunting, although it’s not my personal recreational activity of choice. That said, years ago I confronted two hunters walking up our lane way. They had obviously been hunting our posted property without permission. When I confronted them about it, one of them casually pointed his gun at my dog.
Ever since then, it’s taken a lot to convince me that there aren’t an awful lot of assholes out there playing ‘kill bambi’ every fall, and this story hasn’t done a lot to change my mind –
Police are hoping that a B.C. man, suspected of shooting a four-month-old Jack Russell puppy just metres away from its home on Quadra Island Saturday morning, will soon report to police.
“I’m hoping that he will turn himself in,” said Cpl. Craig Peterson of Quadra Island RCMP.
Owner Nick Rose said the dog — called Seymour — was a gift to son Max, to mark the end of three-years of cancer treatment.
“My kids were happy and laughing like they haven’t been in years. My son in particular since before he was diagnosed with cancer I hadn’t heard those kind of giggles and that kid of laughter out of him.”
But all that changed on Saturday morning outside the rose family’s Quadra Island home.
“We had our new puppy with us, and we had a great night just the three boys, and we’re staring our chores and down the road walked two hunters returning from an unsuccessful dear hunt.”
Both of these hunters had shot guns. Not knowing any better, Seymour did what most puppies would do.
“He bounded out in his affable, puppy-like way wagging and simpering and practically peeing himself wanting to say hi.”
But Rose knew the two men from an incident a few years earlier and he knew this was trouble.
Frantic he called Seymour back. But the puppy just followed the pair around a corner and out of sight. That’s when a shot rang out.
“I ran to the end of our driveway and looked around the corner and there was our little puppy, quivering in his death-throws at the side of the road.”
The hunters ran off leaving Nick and his kids in shock along with the rest of the island community. Even police are in disbelief.
“I’m like you, stunned, shocked that a senseless act like this has been carried out,” said Peterson.
Police know the identity of one of the hunters and are hoping they turn themselves in to face possible charges.
“Right now we’re looking at dangerous use or careless use of a firearm as well as endangering an animal, in this case killing a dog.”
For Seymour’s family, charges are taking a back seat to the emotional impact and senselessness of what happened.
From News MSNBC
Can I also point out how completely and utterly pathetic it is that the best our justice system can do to this heartless, soulless asshole is charge him with “careless use of a firearm and ‘endangering’ an animal”? Come on, Canada. It’s time to insist on laws that actually have some teeth. If you hurt an animal, you deserve a lot more than a slap on the wrist.
I’d wouldn’t want to be the Crown Attorney who tells Max Rose and his family that the best justice we could get for their dog was a $500 fine and a weekend in jail. It makes me embarassed of our justice system.