Teen in U.S. charged in death of family hamster

Its also not well known, but true, that most animal abusers do not become murderers, especially serial killers. Growing up, some kids in my neighborhood would shoot birds and squirrels for "fun" with BB guns. Other kids ran over toads hanging out under street lamps with their bicycles. Others put innocent insects and worms on barbed metal hooks, and used them to entice fish to put these hooks in their mouths and suffer pain as they were reeled in towards shore to certain death... and the kids had fun doing it. They didn't end up with lives of crime, family abuse, etc. Animal abuse is one potential indicator, but not a set in stone indicator. The complete, overall picture of the person's actions and patterns are what need to be looked at. I set the woods on fire when I was a kid --- was just a kid doing something stupid with friends which got out of control. I didn't end up an arsonist nor do I enjoy lightning things up; I don't even care much for fireplaces! Got punished by my parents, a stern talk from the firefighters and that's all it took. These days I'd be locked up and sent to counseling.

Yeah, the kid f'd up, but we don't know the bigger picture, and there are better things to argue about on the Internet (well, I guess I'm guilty, as I'm part of this argument, lol).
 
This reminds me of the guy who, several years ago, was involved in a minor car accident and grabbed a little dog out of the other car, throwing him into traffic so that he was run over.

This guy was sued by the dog owner and finally had to pay some amount in retribution.

Sad....sad stuff.
 
We have had them cute little hamster critters for pets in the past. It does make me cringe to think of one being hurt this way. I agree that it is disturbing whenever anyone deliberately participates or takes pleasure in animal abuse.

However, I think that sometimes our perspective gets out of balance. I do not have enough information to speculate on whether this was one of them, though the quote in the OP seemed more about the hamster than the girl and what may have driven her to this state of mind. In real life I'd like to save the hamster, but I'm more interested in saving Monique. I've no idea if a possible two year prison sentence is the best way to help her, but with the little info I have, I doubt it.

My apologies for appearing flippant earlier.
 
I guess it disturbs me more that some people think that charging a 19yo with a FELONY is the right thing to do for cruelty to a hampster....

I am not saying that the act is OK... so don't jump on me for that.... but come on... a felony:confused: This will cause trouble for this girl for the rest of her life... sorry, killing a hampster is not worth destroying a person's life IMO...

Now... a misdemeanor... sure... a person that repeatedly does this... sure... but from the info given... not a chance for me to convict if I was on the jury.... they are over charging....
 
Maybe on that day, that one parent finally said, "I've had enough".

We'll never know because that's not how the media works....it's all about sensationalism and at first glance charging a 19 year old with a felony for killing a hamster is pretty sensational.
 
Texas Proud said:
I am not saying that the act is OK... so don't jump on me for that.... but come on... a felony:confused: This will cause trouble for this girl for the rest of her life... sorry, killing a hampster is not worth destroying a person's life IMO...
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In the absence of knowing "the rest of the story", I would agree. A criminal record is a scarlet letter these days, particularly when it comes to future employment. I think (again, without knowing all the details) it's "on its face" rather draconian to ruin someone's future over a hamster. Not to justify animal cruelty, of course, and I'm not saying it shouldn't be prosecuted, but this seems like rather extreme overkill (no pun intended).
 
While a teen killing a hamster in a fit of anger is troublesome, the overreaction by the parents, ASPCA and the authorities is indicative of a larger social problem, IMO. What's next...indicting the CEO's of companies making bug spray for conspiracy to commit cruelty to animals? Felony charges for anyone caught using a mouse trap? Federal background check and a 5-day waiting period to buy a flyswatter? And what about those serial mole killers?
 
ziggy29 said:
In the absence of knowing "the rest of the story", I would agree. A criminal record is a scarlet letter these days, particularly when it comes to future employment. I think (again, without knowing all the details) it's "on its face" rather draconian to ruin someone's future over a hamster. Not to justify animal cruelty, of course, and I'm not saying it shouldn't be prosecuted, but this seems like rather extreme overkill (no pun intended).
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My thinking... if there was a lot of 'the rest of the story', we would have read it also... if there was a history of her killing animals they probably would have reported it... look at Michael Vick...

But, the 'crime' does not fit what she is being charged...


Decided to do some research... 4 states don't even have felony charges at all..

Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Cruelty Laws: Felony vs. Misdemeanor



Looking at some of the laws... it appears that some are pretty draconian.. with loopholes... I know in Texas lots of people shoot wild boar as often as they can... and it looks legal...

Stray Pet Advocacy
 
rescueme said:
.. not knowing the entire story I would venture that there were previous actions that precluded this occurrence ...I stand by my comment. If you don't agree? Well, you are entitled to your opinion. I’m not about to change mine...
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.. no need to wait for the facts, your honor, the jury has reached it's decison.:(
 
Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail, and the alleged teen will get off with a slap on the [-]ass[/-] wrist...
 
Silver said:
This reminds me of the guy who, several years ago, was involved in a minor car accident and grabbed a little dog out of the other car, throwing him into traffic so that he was run over.

This guy was sued by the dog owner and finally had to pay some amount in retribution.

Sad....sad stuff.
Click to expand...



Makes me wonder what background someone has to do things like this? What a total lack of emotional control they have.

And, trust me when I say I had plenty of legitimate reasons when I was 19 to act out, but I would never, ever hurt a little defenseless animal or child or anyone really.

I hate to be so unforgiving here, but I think the Police should have gotten involved. This is really sick, sick behavior to choke a family pet like the hamster? Good gosh...horrible to me.:eek::nonono::nonono::nonono: If that were my child I'd be mortified.
 
Westernskies said:
Felony charges for anyone caught using a mouse trap? Federal background check and a 5-day waiting period to buy a flyswatter? And what about those serial mole killers?
Click to expand...

We live next to a large field grass field. In the winter we usually end up with a few mice sneaking into the warm house. Got three of them this year. Tried the "humane" traps and they don't work most of the time. When I use a conventional trap that mouse is dead and I know its not coming back in or breed more mice. Moles... we poisoned several of them... no guilty feelings here about it, good riddance to the pests putting holes in my yard which potentially twist or break someone's ankle!

I guess that makes me a bad person to some people. They can discuss it over a meal with meat.
 
Westernskies said:
While a teen killing a hamster in a fit of anger is troublesome, the overreaction by the parents, ASPCA and the authorities is indicative of a larger social problem, IMO. What's next...indicting the CEO's of companies making bug spray for conspiracy to commit cruelty to animals? Felony charges for anyone caught using a mouse trap? Federal background check and a 5-day waiting period to buy a flyswatter? And what about those serial mole killers?
Click to expand...

By a larger social problem, I assume you mean overzealous efforts by those involved in animal rescue. I agree that there has to be a rational way to deal with animal cruelty and abuse.

Having volunteered at our local animal shelter for many years, I've seen a lot of animal cruelty cases first hand. I'll spare everyone the gory details. You can't help but want to make the punishment severe enough to deter this kind of behavior. Especially after looking into the eyes of the furry victims.

The shelter I volunteer at is not "no kill". It can't be because, by law, it must take in every animal. Human health and well being is always put first. The shelter would never adopt out an animal that is agressive or dangerous. I understand that sad reality.

I support our Animal Control Officers who vigorously go after people who commit horrible acts of cruelty and hoard animals. With the awful cases these folks deal with, they have to have strong laws on the books to back up their efforts.

Felony charges for buying a mousetrap? No.
Felony charges for running a dog fighting operation or setting someone's pet cat on fire? Yes.
 
As teenagers a lot of my friends and I used to go to the local dump ground and shoot rats for fun. I guess by today's standards we should all have felony records.
 
Nodak said:
As teenagers a lot of my friends and I used to go to the local dump ground and shoot rats for fun. I guess by today's standards we should all have felony records.
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Only if you had them as pets, one is named Ben and your name is Danny :cool: ...
 
There is a difference between killing animals because they can cause a health or safety concern, including the methods used to kill those animals, and torturing animals for the hell of it, and torturing and killing animals that are other people's property.

I have no problem with this being a felony if it's an offense that's happened before enough to warrant federal prosecution, or if the cost lost was high enough to warrant a federal offense, and if it isn't some serious mental issue or incredibly abnormal set of circumstances that caused this.

If it's a first time offense, then whatever charges would normally be filed for theft and destruction of property on top of animal cruelty doesn't seem excessive.

She's an adult. If she wants to throw some tantrum and act like a child, she gets to live with the consequences of what that gets you as an adult.
 
Purron said:
By a larger social problem, I assume you mean overzealous efforts by those involved in animal rescue.
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No, actually I meant that her folks are pushing their parenting problems onto society, the ASPCA was overzealous, and apparently the prosecutor needed something to do...but, increasingly in our society, when emotion meets common sense, emotion wins every time.

Kudos to you Purron for your animal rescue efforts, I applaud your compassion and commitment, and empathize with you having to make difficult decisions when it comes to problem animals.
 
RetiredGypsy said:
She's an adult. If she wants to throw some tantrum and act like a child, she gets to live with the consequences of what that gets you as an adult.
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That is how the "authorities" look at it. That is why her father was an idiot to rely on them to discipline his daughter. Unless he is a bit of a nut job himself and enjoys toying with the chance that his daughter's life will be wrecked.
 
donheff said:
That is how the "authorities" look at it. That is why her father was an idiot to rely on them to discipline his daughter. Unless he is a bit of a nut job himself and enjoys toying with the chance that his daughter's life will be wrecked.
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And how far into her life does that get to go? Does she get to face consequences when she's 21 instead? 40? As long as it happens under daddy's roof, she's free of all legal ramifications forever?
 
RetiredGypsy said:
And how far into her life does that get to go? Does she get to face consequences when she's 21 instead? 40? As long as it happens under daddy's roof, she's free of all legal ramifications forever?
Click to expand...
We got a pas from the police when I was a kid but that doesn't seem to be the case today. If she gets busted on her own she's busted whether she is living with her parents or on her own. But busted by your idiot father at 20 or 40? That hurts. Serial killer, rapist - yes, turn them in. Hamster killer or pot smoker - no frigging way.
 
seems too many people want to debate how many angels can dance on the head of a pin/how many people do things to hurt living things.

there is a huge difference between putting worms on a hook and killing a pet to be cruel to it. people that torture and kill animals, not trapping mice in traps or poisoning moles, often go on to torture and kill people. mass murders typically do start killing with animals when they are children. why can't people see this vs using ridiculous analogies that are not apropos?

i trap mice, voles and moles because they are pests but i don't catch them alive and torture them to death for the fun or thrill of it. seems people today have to find too many excuses for aberrant behavior which is no doubts why we have so much trouble using the death penalty. i don't live in texas but that state really has it's head screwed on straight when it comes to laws that other states have totally screwed up.

and of course yymv.:mad:
 
veremchuka said:
seems too many people want to debate how many angels can dance on the head of a pin/how many people do things to hurt living things.

there is a huge difference between putting worms on a hook and killing a pet to be cruel to it. people that torture and kill animals, not trapping mice in traps or poisoning moles, often go on to torture and kill people. mass murders typically do start killing with animals when they are children. why can't people see this vs using ridiculous analogies that are not apropos?

i trap mice, voles and moles because they are pests but i don't catch them alive and torture them to death for the fun or thrill of it. seems people today have to find too many excuses for aberrant behavior which is no doubts why we have so much trouble using the death penalty. i don't live in texas but that state really has it's head screwed on straight when it comes to laws that other states have totally screwed up.

and of course yymv.:mad:
Click to expand...

This begs the question.... what about people who hunt for sport?

The thing is... you see the comments as excuses for aberrant behavior. Don't demonize those who don't agree... it does not mean we (I) condone what happened. I don't excuse the behavior of this person who crushed this hamster to death, not in the least. What I have issue with is the felony charge based solely on the facts presented (which are slim), and far-fetched comments implying people like that will grow up to be serial killers.
 
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