Mr. Foley's defense lawyer has already called on their first character witness, pictured below, who claims that Mr. Foley is an upstanding and trustworthy individual.
Posted on 07/01/2009 7:11:49 PM PDT by Chet 99
BOSTON -- The beating death of a cat in front of shocked children prompted protests Sunday in Worcester.
A group of people gathered in front of the city police department, demanding police put Tom Foley behind bars.
Foley admittedly beat a cat named Lily to death in front of several children on Friday.
The owner, Lisa Tuttle, said her cat Lily had just given birth to a litter of kittens and may have been feeling territorial when she charged Foley's dog and scratched Foley several days earlier on Dupuis Avenue.
"I just came out. I saw the cat in a pool of blood, my daughter screaming," neighbor Lisa Tuttle said. Witnesses said at least one adult and four horrified children saw Foley beat the cat to death with a stick.
[Lisa Tuttle, cat's owner] Lisa Tuttle, cat's owner More "I think it's an awful crime that he did it in front of kids. I think it shows his lack of humanity. I think that these kids are going to be traumatized," protest organizer Jaqueline Corliss said.
Foley, of Stoneham Road in Worcester, claimed he was defending himself from the seven-pound cat.
He has not been charged.
The College of Holy Cross put Foley on paid leave from his job as a public safety officer.
The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals law enforcement department is actively investigating the incident and asked any witnesses to any animal cruelty to contact them directly at: 617-522-6008 or 800-628-5808.
Animal cruelty is a felony in Massachusetts punishable by a fine up to $2,500 and up to five years in prison.
No, we’re supposed to take care of our dogs. Letting the dog (especially a pit bull) get a taste of blood and acting vicious might engrain it as a habit. Not a good idea.
I don’t know if he’s scared of them, I have never put him in a situation where he’d have to defend himself from one.
Have you ever seen someone try to fight off a bee, screaming and flailing and backing into things to avoid getting stung?
7 pounds may not seem like that much until it’s headed straight for your crotch, with five of it’s six ends pointy and sharp.
Mr. Foley's defense lawyer has already called on their first character witness, pictured below, who claims that Mr. Foley is an upstanding and trustworthy individual.
Bingo! Once, growing up, a relative was chased and attacked by three dogs - either two Shepherds and a Doberman, or two Dobermans and a Shepherd. (I can't remember which.) When he tried in vain to kick them away, the owner got mad and yelled at him, "Don't kick my dogs!" :-0
People need to control their animals. If the animal is hurt attacking someone, it's the owner's fault. One late night, I had to climb onto the hood of a car to get away from a Doberman who came after me. I soon realized the owner had sent him after me, just for kicks. An officer later told me I would've had every right to shoot that dog. I wonder what animal lovers would say in that case. Since the dog didn't bite, they'd probably criticize the person defending herself.
Having worked for a vet a few years, the suggestion I gave was the appropriate answer (call city, have them impound the animal, and make sure it was not diseased). You read it, you seemed to agree with it, then you jump right in to pit bull crazy again.
Lets make this as clear as possible. I don't agree with your proposal that 10 years is the just punishment for the offense. I know you love your dogs, but 10 years is crazy. I don't care if he beat it the middle of the town square.
Other details I would like to know. Did he kill the cat on their yawn or his own. Did he kill the cat knowing the kids were looking or did it make such a racket they came out and observed it. You make it sound like he just rang their doorbell and invited a film crew before killing it.
In real life, I have had a big dog attack my wife and kids while she walked on a city backroad (one child under one in the stroller). Bit her pants leg but did not bring blood. What did I do, I knocked on their door, told them that if it came out in the street again I would beat it's skull in. They moved. I really could care less it that offends you or not.
Having a dog, especially a big one, run at you is terrifying! I’m glad you were okay.
I never appreciated how ridiculous it is to yell “He doesn’t bite!” at someone your dog is charging until it happened to me.
True, but that’s the risk you take if you let your dog run loose.
My dog ran at some leashed dogs, right after we ‘adopted’ him. *I* knew he just wanted to play, but how can you expect anyone else to know that? He got smacked across the face with a wooden cane by the dog’s owner, and I agreed with it.
I apologized profusely and it still embarasses me that I let it happen...Still, Swiper was lucky that it was only a wooden cane. I carry a steel maglite on our walks.
But why was the cat wandering around outside? Where was it's owner? For the safety and security of both my pets and the general public, I don't let my pets run around loose.
Thanks, I was fine. That happened many years ago; I wasn’t bitten, and it gave me a story to tell. :-)
For the record, I wouldn’t have been afraid if the animal wasn’t in attack mode.
When I first caught sight of the Doberman coming toward me, I saw no one walking with it. I casually started into the street to give it some room. ;-) But, then it came charging after me, growling and barking. I scraped the hood of that car with my heels backing up onto it. ;-) The dog was right at my feet, going bananas, and I thought it would kill me.
Then I heard a whistle. It was the owner calling his dog back. The dog immediately stopped and ran to the owner. As the man walked by, I said, “I didn’t even see you.” But, he didn’t apologize or say anything at all. He just glared at me as he walked by.
So, he must’ve sent the dog after me. ;-) Maybe he wanted to see how well his dog would obey his orders. There are good owners and bad ones. This guy was a bad owner. I should add it was a crime-ridden, drug-riddled area.
Let the penalty fit the crime. Just need a bigger stick. I’d be upset that a cat scratched me but I wouldn’t beat it, much less kill it.
The only way I’d hurt the cat is if the thing attacked and wouldn’t stop. I remember that video of a cat going after a deputy’s crotch/inner thigh area and would not quit.
OMG...how low can a person go.....this is sick. What a frickin monster.....boil this loser in oil.
This one really gets my blood boiling....whatasickbastid.
Oh brother....the cats are mean because they chase the dog?? You need to get out more.
Most likley it was kicked out or ran away. My cat will run out the door if I am not diligently watching her as I leave or come in. Everything is not black or white.
A cat with kittens will do ANYTHING to protect them....even walk through fire to save them.
I've seen murderers receive lighter sentences...
It was a horrible thing to do, but not 5 years in prison horrible.
I’m with you on this one. There are some real knuckle-draggers that sometimes appear on these threads.
I would suggest you don’t waste your time with the cat lady. You will come out looking and smelling like you wrestled with a pig.
Just some friendly advice if you didn’t already know.
SZ
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