Stick up for fish
November 8th, 2007 by admin
Reports of animal cruelty are always difficult to read, but we can take some comfort in the news when arrests have been made. This week, there were two incidents in Florida in which law enforcement responded quickly and appropriately to accusations of animal cruelty.
On Monday, sheriff’s deputies in Pinellas County arrested two teens on charges of felony animal cruelty for killing 30 koi fish in a pond at a home in Palm Harbor. Early in the morning on November 4, a security system video camera captured 17-year-old Sean Michael Smith and 17-year-old Neal Shikarpuri dumping dishwashing detergent into the pond.
In Florida, all animals- including fish- are protected from cruelty and inhumane killing.
Please send Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats a quick thank you note for taking this case of animal cruelty seriously.
Contact:
Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats
Online comment form.Please also contact State Attorney Bernie McCabe and ask him to press for the maximum penalty if the two defendants are found guilty.
Contact:
Honorable Bernie McCabe
State Attorney’s Office - 6th Judicial Circuit
E-mail: bmccabe@co.pinellas.fl.us