Brevard dog-abuse case stirs reaction worldwide

Before all the bleedin heart pooch huggers get started on how this person should be drawn and quartered or burned at the stake, I would like to simply say I do not support cruelty to animals but to rank them on the same level as that of humans is a gross misrepresentation of their position on the "Food chain"! What this individual did, for what ever reason, was wrong but to attempt to extract your pound of flesh from her just reflects on your own shortcomings as a responsible adult in this society of ours! There are always two sides to every coin and until I hear the "Other" side of this situation, I withhold my own opinion as to why this person chose to do what she did. I would not have chosen this avenue had I wanted to rid myself of an animal but not everyone thinks rationally when faced with delimas. That does not excuse her actions but it would help immensely to know her side of the story!

So sorry for the duplicate post!

What this woman did was unspeakable. She should be put in a crate without food and water! If you cannot afford an animal, give the animal up for adoption. I think she was just being cruel in a destructive manner. Something psychologically wrong with her.
Animals are helpless. They rely on owners to take care of them. When put out in the wild, they have to try to beat the elements that is before them. So they do try to fend for themselves, but to be held in captivity within a house and not given those items to survive... Well I could care less what she has to say. Anything she says is going to be a cop-out anyway.

Orlando Homegrown wrote:

Before all the bleedin heart pooch huggers get started on how this person should be drawn and quartered or burned at the stake, I would like to simply say I do not support cruelty to animals but to rank them on the same level as that of humans is a gross misrepresentation of their position on the "Food chain"! What this individual did, for what ever reason, was wrong but to attempt to extract your pound of flesh from her just reflects on your own shortcomings as a responsible adult in this society of ours! There are always two sides to every coin and until I hear the "Other" side of this situation, I withhold my own opinion as to why this person chose to do what she did. I would not have chosen this avenue had I wanted to rid myself of an animal but not everyone thinks rationally when faced with delimas. That does not excuse her actions but it would help immensely to know her side of the story!

I agree with you in regard to how people react with such outrage over a pet yet don't seem to have the same worries for mankind. However, in this particular case, I can't think of anything that would even begin to justify what this woman did. This animal STARVED with a bag of dog food sitting in front of it. According to original reports there is an animal shelter within a few miles of where the animal died and the owners new residence. She obviously had transportation to move and regardless of monetary issues, there is no reason that the dog could not have been taken to the shelter.

What I wonder about is the neighbors. Exactly how far apart are the houses. This dog would have been doing a lot of barking, whining etc. Nobody heard that? None of the neighbors noticed the dog is continually barking and it appears the person has moved out of the house? Seems like everyone let this dog down and it's just sad. YES the dog is lower on the food chain and YES Americans seem to lose their minds over their pets... but there really is no excuse to torture an animal and that is exactly what was done to this poor dog.

I am a pet owner many times, and would never think of leaving any of my pets behind. I don't care who you are, if your room mate did not like animals, you should have looked elsewhere. My pets will come first!

Cares about Animals wrote:

What this woman did was unspeakable. She should be put in a crate without food and water! If you cannot afford an animal, give the animal up for adoption. I think she was just being cruel in a destructive manner. Something psychologically wrong with her.
Animals are helpless. They rely on owners to take care of them. When put out in the wild, they have to try to beat the elements that is before them. So they do try to fend for themselves, but to be held in captivity within a house and not given those items to survive... Well I could care less what she has to say. Anything she says is going to be a cop-out anyway.

I absolutley agree with you. I do not care what Christine Abrams has to say about this situation. To leave the dog there caged up and starving to death because the guy she moved in with does not like dogs! Give me a break! No matter what the circumstances were she could have turned the dog over to a shelter. I blame the guy she moved in with just as much. Because of him Ella is now dead. Christine Abrams, you make me sick!

I think we need to stiffen the laws when it comes to animal cruelty. A misdemeanor for starving an animal? You have got to be kidding me!! This animal suffered deeply, physically and mentally.
What disturbs me is the opinion of the bloggers who say dogs are at the bottom of the food chain? I believe those people should starve for two weeks, maybe then they would come back with a whole new opinion!! Shame on you!!

I was horrified when I first read about Ella's cruel death and immediately signed a petition that would charge Ms. Abrams with a felony. It's appalling that the charges were reduced and she basically is getting away with this awful act. I own 2 dogs and 1 cat and would never ever let any harm come to them. They are loved unconditionally and the love I receive back is immeasureable. The proscutors are just as wrong to reduce the charges and they need to be removed from office and elect people who really care about people and animals. Animals have feelings too!!! I know that Ms. Abrams will burn in hell for what she did.

It would be a travesty of justice if this animal abuser is not punished to the fullest extent of the law.
I am outraged at the very thought that she get off easy from paying for the heinous treatment she gave her precious dog!

I can't imagine how this woman did this to this poor dog who loved, and trusted her with her life! I cannot imagine how she walks around thinking this is okay, explainable, or excusable. I don't understand how her roommate let her move in w/o asking "wheres your dog?" What kind of people live on this planet? If I was desperate.. I'd post ads, and then I'd take my pet to the HUMANE SOCIETY.... there's at least a chance for a home.. if nottt... a peaceful easy death... NOT THIS HORRIBLE cruel suffering.. agonizing.. day after day... of dying... I don't understand how neighbors walked by and heard her bark and did not go look until what? They heard nothing? THEN they looked...? Every time I see a dog or cat dead on the street it hurts ... or their loose and wandering.. I try to help them.. they need us, and we NEED THEM... for humanitys' sake this girl needs serious help .. for animals's sake she needs punishment! Jail! Only a jail cell where she has to wait for her food, water, and care can she come to understand the lack of compassion on her part! Only then will she possibly understand suffering.

It does not cost anything to set the animal loose so at least it has a fighting chance for survival. It also does not cost anything to relinquish an animal to the numerous shelters, animal control offices, rescues or private individuals who would have ensured this animal either received proper care or humanely euthanized it. There is no excuse for what she did at all. Anyone who could starve to death a living creature -- human or pet -- is a plain sociopath.

Orlando Homegrown wrote:

Before all the bleedin heart pooch huggers get started on how this person should be drawn and quartered or burned at the stake, I would like to simply say I do not support cruelty to animals but to rank them on the same level as that of humans is a gross misrepresentation of their position on the "Food chain"! What this individual did, for what ever reason, was wrong but to attempt to extract your pound of flesh from her just reflects on your own shortcomings as a responsible adult in this society of ours! There are always two sides to every coin and until I hear the "Other" side of this situation, I withhold my own opinion as to why this person chose to do what she did. I would not have chosen this avenue had I wanted to rid myself of an animal but not everyone thinks rationally when faced with delimas. That does not excuse her actions but it would help immensely to know her side of the story!

Southern girl wrote:

I think we need to stiffen the laws when it comes to animal cruelty. A misdemeanor for starving an animal? You have got to be kidding me!! This animal suffered deeply, physically and mentally.
What disturbs me is the opinion of the bloggers who say dogs are at the bottom of the food chain? I believe those people should starve for two weeks, maybe then they would come back with a whole new opinion!! Shame on you!!

I don't believe anyone said dogs were at the bottom of the food chain...simply lower on the food chain than humans. Too many people get so wrapped up in their dog (apparently they forget it is actually a dog) and they treat it better than humans...including their own family. I think what I and other posters were trying to point out was the ridiculousness of that point. Even the DA pointed out in the article a case where a dog was killed in a town...there was outrage, emails, letters, and calls etc. to the DA's office. Same day in that town a child was killed and the Da's office heard NOTHING. Now what is wrong with that picture?

Do I think this woman is S C U M ? Yes. Do I think she should be charged with a felony? Yes, but do I think she should be punished with a sentence that is harsher than those who have killed humans? NO.

No matter what she gets. I think someone will take care of her once she is released. Karma comes back to bite you where it hurts.

I like them to allow flogging 10 lashes this woman would never do anything wrong again

BLANTONA1 wrote:

<quoted text>
I don't believe anyone said dogs were at the bottom of the food chain...simply lower on the food chain than humans. Too many people get so wrapped up in their dog (apparently they forget it is actually a dog) and they treat it better than humans...including their own family. I think what I and other posters were trying to point out was the ridiculousness of that point. Even the DA pointed out in the article a case where a dog was killed in a town...there was outrage, emails, letters, and calls etc. to the DA's office. Same day in that town a child was killed and the Da's office heard NOTHING. Now what is wrong with that picture?
Do I think this woman is S C U M ? Yes. Do I think she should be charged with a felony? Yes, but do I think she should be punished with a sentence that is harsher than those who have killed humans? NO.

Just a dog? Hmmm.. I know many dogs that have a better soul than a lot of humans! Society has no problem using dogs for the handicap, police depts, government uses (bomb sniffing etc..), detecting cancer, heart attacks, seizures etc.. and we are just suppose to consider them a dog? NO WAY!! Even police departments consider their dogs as actual police officers. So, how you can say that a dog is just a dog is ridiculous! The majority of dogs would put their life on the line to protect their owners and expect nothing in return. It's not just a dog, its a living, breathing, heart beating life!!

BLANTONA1 wrote:

<quoted text>
Do I think she should be charged with a felony? Yes, but do I think she should be punished with a sentence that is harsher than those who have killed humans? NO.

Capital murder is not the same, nor is it treated the same as a felony animal cruelty conviction. You're comparing apples and oranges here.

Nor does protesting animal cruelty behavior somehow take away from the anger and desire for justice people feel about similar cruelty towards humans of any age. This isn't an "or" issue, it's an "and" issue.

give her the same treatment that she gave to ella.

Holmes' statement re: he remembers the letters for the dog and that there were no letters for the baby tells me that he is not really on board with the issue. We have laws that are mostly enforced that will punish someone who abuses a child (theorhetically, anyway).

Animal Cruelty, on the other hand, has alot of wiggle room for the guilty to get out of. I found four cases in Brevard County where people were arrested for animal cruelty felony. All four cases were dropped/abandoned/no action. They didn't even get put to a misdemeanor, the charges just went away!

So, while we are all outraged when children, seniors, any human is abused, we can have a bit of faith in the justice system to do something. With other defenseless beings, such as pets, there is very little faith in the justice system, and rightly so.

Orlando Homegrown wrote:

Before all the bleedin heart pooch huggers get started on how this person should be drawn and quartered or burned at the stake, I would like to simply say I do not support cruelty to animals but to rank them on the same level as that of humans is a gross misrepresentation of their position on the "Food chain"! What this individual did, for what ever reason, was wrong but to attempt to extract your pound of flesh from her just reflects on your own shortcomings as a responsible adult in this society of ours! There are always two sides to every coin and until I hear the "Other" side of this situation, I withhold my own opinion as to why this person chose to do what she did. I would not have chosen this avenue had I wanted to rid myself of an animal but not everyone thinks rationally when faced with delimas. That does not excuse her actions but it would help immensely to know her side of the story!

As a bleeding heart pooch hugger (thank you, btw, for the compliment), I see that you apparently have not been following this case.

As for Abrams' side of the story: Start with the police report, then follow that "food chain" all the way down to people who came forth with testimonials re: Abrams' actions while Ella lay dying in that locked crate.

This deliberate case of animal cruelty has nothing - absolutely nothing - to do with "rank" -- it does, however, have much to do with Abrams' "shortcomings as a responsible adult in this society," as you so gratuitously pointed out.

Bottom line: How long you're going to withhold your opinion is obviously up to you. But if you're waiting for the "other" side of the story, it's already been documented. Abrams'put Ella in a crate; locked her in; walked out; never went back; left her to die.....Period.

As for the why? Only God & the devil know. And, IMHO, the devil has the inside track.....

re: the neighbors. On another article, a next door neighbor posted that s/he never heard Ella. I suspect that Ella spent alot of time in the crate and possibly was not the type to complain. Making her an even dearer soul.

Abrams statement to the Cocoa police said she had last checked on Ella in January. Ella may have been living like this for a long time and had become accustomed to this crappy lifestyle. I have a dog who, before I got him, lived for over a year in a wire crate, and was let out once a day to potty. He never barked in that crate. He had kind of just gone into himself.

My question is why didn't the vet who had to amputate ella' leg last year report animal abuse back then. When ms Abrams was out on the town left the dog tied up to a leash and had to have its leg amputated. The dog should have been taken from her then. She is a scum bag from the word go.My mother (rest her Soul) always told my sisters never to trust a man who doesn't like dogs. Had ms abrams moved in with a dog lover instead of a dog hater Ella might be alive today. I hope she gets what she deserves a felony charge of cruelty to animals.