Rancher tries to avoid responsibility for starvation deaths of cows
October 7th, 2006 by admin
Today’s Naples Daily News featured an update of a long-running case of animal cruelty. In March 2004, concerned citizens contacted police after seeing dead cows in a pasture in Immokalee. According to the paper, officers who arrived on the scene “found cows had eaten everything available in the pasture and were too weak to stand. There was no water supply for the cows, and there was a dead cow in the pond. Some cows were being eaten alive by turkey vultures.”
Five cows were dead at the scene or were euthanized shortly after; another 115 cows were removed from the property and eventually recovered.
Months later, cattleman Michael Swails was arrrested and charged with five felony counts of animal cruelty- one count for each of the animals who died- and 115 misdemeanor cruelty charges.
In court this week, Swails’ attorney asked Collier Circuit Court Judge Fred Hardt to dismiss some of the felony charges. Assistant State Attorney Mara Marzano responded by arguing that Swails’ failure to feed the cows was a cruel, intentional act deserving of felony charges*.
Swails has claimed that he was having financial problems and couldn’t afford to buy food for the cows. But there is no evidence that he ever contacted anyone requesting help in caring for the animals.
Please write to Judge Hardt and urge him not to dismiss felony charges against Michael Swails. Explain that because of the prolonged suffering of the animals, and the large number of animals involved, felony charges are warranted. Also, ask that if Mr. Swails is convicted, that he be sentenced to the maximum penalty allowed by law and be prohibited from ever owning animals again.
Contact:
Hon. Frederick R. Hardt, Circuit Judge
Collier County Gov. Complex
3301 Tamiami Trail E.
Naples, FL 34112
Fax: (239) 774-9654
Writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper about cases of animal cruelty is a great way to reach thousands of people, and to put pressure on law enforcement to treat animal cruelty seriously.
*Florida’s cruelty to animals statute (828.12) reads: “A person who intentionally commits an act to any animal which results in the cruel death, or excessive or repeated infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering, or causes the same to be done, is guilty of a felony of the third degree.”