Bear in man’s backyard raises Bethel trustee’s ire

Sean Trimbach of Bets Exotics LLC, courtesy Dayton Daily News

MEDWAY — With the right bow tie, the adorable brown bear cub in the backyard of Sean Trimbach’s Crystal Lake home could pass for a real-life version of Boo-Boo…

“I’d love to get in there to wrestle around with her,” Trimbach said…

Acting on a neighbor’s recent complaint, Brown, a Bethel Twp. trustee, wants Trimbach to get rid of his bear.

“There are other houses around,” Brown said. “No one should have to live across the street from a bear.”…

Brown wants the state law changed.

“How am I supposed to tell the neighbors across the street with small children that, yes, we can regulate cows and goats, but we can’t regulate bears?” she asked…more

Man who had almost 400 dogs admits cruelty

… A man who hoarded nearly 400 dogs on a farm he rented in Clark County pleaded guilty yesterday to five misdemeanor counts of cruelty to a companion animal.

Howard Jeff Burgess, 57, of Xenia, was charged after Clark County humane agents seized 361 dogs in February from a property he rented west of Springfield.

...No other humane society in Ohio had ever dealt with a seizure so large, and simply finding shelter for the animals was an immediate problem.

The dogs — 387 by the time several litters were born after the seizure — were kept at the Franklin County Fairgrounds until April 8, when the last one was shipped out. Hundreds of volunteers worked round-the-clock to care for them until each one could be sent to a rescue, another shelter or a permanent or foster home.

Burgess initially had been charged in Clark County Municipal Court with 46 counts of cruelty to a companion animal, but prosecutors agreed to dismiss all but the most-serious of the offenses because, under Ohio law, Burgess can be sentenced only to a maximum of 18 months in jail. These five counts could earn him that much time.

Michael Sheils, chief prosecutor for the city of Springfield, said he has asked the court for a mental evaluation of Burgess before he is sentenced later this month.

“The hoarding issues need to be explored,” Sheils said. “The goal must be to minimize the chances of this ever happening again.”…more

Upcoming Vote on Deer Hunting Looms Over Solon's Deer Plans

Ward 2 Councilman Bob Pelunis said the city spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on sharpshooting earlier this decade, only to stop the program and have the deer problem become as bad if not worse than it was before.

"What do we really

have to show for that money?" he said.

"We keep coming back to the same position”

…more

Solon Deer Problem Focus of 'The Sound of Ideas' Radio Program Thursday

3/10/11 Solon City Council meeting attendees, courtesy Solon Patch

…The Solon deer debate will be the focus of an hour long discussion at 9 a.m. Thursday on "The Sound of Ideas"* program on WCPN 90.3 FM…more

* Click on “The Sound of Ideas” link above to hear the audiotape of this program, including a brief interview with Lane Ferrante, The League of Humane Voters of Ohio State Director

Commissioners hire attorney for animal cruelty cases

Tuscarawas County commissioners set the pay scale Monday for an attorney hired by the Tuscarawas County Humane Society to prosecute animal cruelty cases.

J. Jeffrey Holland of Sharon Center will be paid $50 per hour for out-of-court services and $60 per hour for in-court services, with a maximum fee of $1,000 per case. His salary will be paid by the county, and there is no limit to the number of cases he is allowed to handle.

The humane society passed a resolution on July 21 to appoint Holland as legal counsel to prosecute cases relating to cruelty to animals and neglect of animals. The society is authorized to do so by Section 2931.18 Section 2931.18 of the Ohio Revised Code...more

Deer culling debate heading to ballot in Solon

“We far exceeded our (mandatory) target of 980 signatures and we are confident the Solon Deer Preservation Act will be on the November ballot for the citizens of Solon to decide,” organizers posted on their website at SolonDeer.com...more

An Important Message to Lawmakers: Send it NOW

Dorothy Richardson is a household name by now. She's the 75-year old woman in the Cleveland area who used a shovel to bludgeon to death a young fawn that had found its way to her garden. The cries from the dying animal were heard throughout the neighborhood. She's been charged with animal cruelty and has pled 'not guilty.' Her lawyers would argue that she deserves some sympathy from the court because she's old and frail. Truth be told, the lost young fawn deserves the sympathy -- for being young and frail, and innocently choosing to rest in the garden of a mean old woman.

This case affords the court system a unique opportunity to send a powerful message about animal cruelty. The case has gathered a lot of attention in the press and media; the eyes of the animal welfare community in America are on Judge Deborah Lebarron. This is what LOHV-Ohio is all about: educating voters about the actions or inactions of public officers when it comes to protecting animal life from abuse and neglect.

Age is no defense under the law. A killing is a killing, no matter what the age of the aggressor. Ms. Richardson's conduct (I mean misconduct) was as vicious and cruel as any recent case of animal harm in Ohio. She must become the "poster child" for animal abuse and appropriate penalty under the law. No plea bargain, no counseling, no probation. Jail-time is the rightful penalty.

Please take time to write a letter to the Judge at her address which is posted at the foot of this post. Let her know how you feel about this crime and the punishment which Ms. Richardson should receive. The press and media, and the rest of America for that matter, should know that there are civilized humans in Ohio who find Ms. Robinson's crime revolting -- people who will not sit idly by and accept the explanation that 'it was only a deer.' People who demonstrate this kind of anger have a problem. Study after study show that animal cruelty is the predecessor to violence against humans. Society can stop a lot of violence between human beings by getting on top of the horrible animal abuse that we all too often tend to excuse or minimize.

Hunting is bad enough. But at least it's regulated and controlled. This is different. This crime went against all the rules. If the court in any way excuses Ms. Richardson's deed, animal welfare in Ohio will take a giant step backward. Let's not let that happen. Get your pen and paper out and let the Judge know how you feel. Ms. Richardson should receive the maximum penalty under the law. Period!

Paul R. Leonard

Professor, Animal Law

Wright State University

WRITE TO:

Judge LeBarron

555 222nd Street

Euclid OH 44123

FAX (216) 289-8254

dlebarron@cityofeuclid.com