Trial Ordered In Puerto Rican Pet Massacre

Animal Cruelty Charges Filed In Case Where 80 Pets Were Thrown Off Of A 50 Ft. Bridge

(AP)  A judge on Wednesday ordered the owner of an animal control company and two of his employees to stand trial for animal cruelty charges for the October massacre of about 80 seized pets that were hurled off a bridge.

Following several days of hearings, Superior Court Judge Nelson Canabal ruled there was sufficient evidence for Julio Diaz, owner of Animal Control Solutions, and the two employees to stand trial.

The killings of pets seized from housing projects brought revulsion around the world and triggered calls for tourist boycotts of this U.S. Caribbean territory.

"At last we are going to see justice in these killings," said Alma Febus, who investigated the case for the territorial government.

Diaz's attorney, Manuel Reyes, said he would appeal the judge's decision.

After the hearing, Diaz blamed the municipality of Barceloneta for seizing the animals and said he didn't know who threw them from the bridge. Only a half-dozen survived the 50-foot fall, some with serious injuries.

"I will no longer do any animal-related business in Puerto Rico," he said. "We are the only ones who have been blamed. We are innocent."

Municipal officials in Barceloneta, a town along Puerto Rico's north-central coast, said they hired Animal Control Solutions to remove pets from housing projects, believing that regulations banned them. Barceloneta officials said they understood that the company, which drove off with the animals in vans, would take them to shelters.

Instead, they wound up at the bottom of a bridge along a highway that runs between Barceloneta and San Juan.

During Wednesday's hearing, Angel Rafael Sierra recalled rushing home with his young daughters after learning that people were seizing pets at the complex. They found their beloved dog "Tuti" was gone.

Sierra testified that he got in his car and followed a white van, which stopped at a municipality building in Barceloneta. He said he could hear dogs barking but was prevented from seeing if Tuti was inside.

The next day, he discovered Tuti's body beneath the bridge.

"My daughters saw too," Sierra said. "They started crying."

An investigation by The Associated Press later showed that such brutal methods have been routinely used in the killing of thousands of pets and stray animals on this island.

[observer2020]

I8c6: Why does every single news story have to be changed around so it has to deal with politics? There was absolutely nothing political about this story. If you love politics so much, stick to the political stories, then comment your heart out. This story is about cruelty to animals...which is extremely "disgusting" as SgtRDS stated. However, unfortunately "serious prison time" will never come to people who abuse/kill animals (look at the high profile case of Michael Vick, et al). Because there are others that think they are "animals" and don''t deserve compassion. I am owned by cats and dogs who allow me to care for them, provide them with food and shelter, take them on walks and clean their litterboxes, and in return, they love me and are happy every day to see me come home. All I can think of is Sierra''s daughters remembering all their lives how someone killed their dog by throwing it off a bridge. Personally, I would have ripped off the doors of the van and rescued all of them. At the very least, follow the van and take pictures.

[l8c6]

Right wing republicans would love to have no consequences for doing this to the homeless. Right wing republicans generate hate in the United States and everything they touch. Right wing republicans are members of a cult. The cult leader is telling the hoe faux right wing reporters to all say the same thing which is they''ll vote for Hillary before they''ll vote for McCain.

The republican party has become a cult that would love to throw more than pets over a bridge, they''d love to throw the least of them over a bridge.

[searingtruth]

"Cruelty and brutality are evidence of evil, not strength."
SearingTruth


A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[neo267-2009]

Jobs like this attract sickos as well as compassionate people. They need some kind of screening.

[deborahcox05]

What is with these people who ban pets from people''s lives. My pets are a wonderful part of my life. I cannot imagine life without them.

These people make me sick. Who could throw live animals over a bridge!? Disgusting!!

[jehovahwtnss]

What I''d like to know is whether anyone had been complaining about the pets, or is this yet another case of busybody bureaucrats imposing their miserable petty rules

[sgtrds]

Disgusting. They need serious prison time.