The difference between cows and dogs
March 19th, 2010 by admin
On Wednesday morning, Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered 13 dead cows in a barren pasture south of the City of Umatilla, along with several very sick cows. One surviving cow was in such horrible shape that she was killed by a deputy with a shotgun. A sheriff’s spokesperson said in a statement that the cows, “appeared to have died from neglect.” Property owner Brady Sellers didn’t know why the cows had died. “It’s hard to say, but it could be the cold weather,” he told Central Florida News 13. One of his neighbors had a more believable explanation, “They don’t never come out here and feed them. No hay, no nothing.”
If the remains of 13 dead dogs were found in the backyard of a home in Umatilla, we’re fairly confident that criminal charges would be filed against the homeowner. But replace “dogs” with “cows,” and “home” with “field” and it’s a different story.
Perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised when it was announced that Brady Sellers would not be charged with a crime. Instead, he was given a warning and told to buy food for the surviving cows and get them checked by a veterinarian.
Some of the dead cows discovered on Wednesday were little more than bones, so it may be difficult to determine how the cows died. But at the very least criminal charges are warranted for the starving cows who survived until deputies arrived? The 13 cows did not die all at once. Mr. Sellers must have recognized that there was a problem at the pasture.
You Can Help
Sometimes all that’s needed for law enforcement to do the right thing is a little encouragement. Please contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and urge them to take a closer look at this case. Florida law protects all animals- including “farm animals”- from abuse and neglect.Contact:
Sheriff Gary S. Borders
Lake County Sheriff’s Office
E-mail: gary.borders@lcso.org
Phone : (352) 343-9500
Fax : (352) 343-9505