Amish Men Accused of Animal Cruelty Defend Their Actions ("In the Amish it’s acceptable")

WHAM News, Rochester NY ^ | 1/31 11:40 pm | Reported by: Jane Flasch

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Clyde, N.Y. - Two Amish men from Wayne County are accused of killing a litter of healthy puppies and their mother.

“This is simply a case of animal cruelty,” says Wayne County District Attorney Rick Healy who intends to charge the pair.

The nine dead dogs were discovered in a compost pile and reported to police January 17th.

Merlin Schumacher who owns the dogs says he was trying to breed Australian Red Heelers, but when he couldn’t sell the dogs and they became “too big” he asked an employee to shoot them.

Jonathan Eicher agreed to put the dogs down.

“In the Amish it’s acceptable to put dogs down. I thought as long as you did it out back it was okay,” Eicher told police. Eicher referred to what he called “the three S’s: shoot, shovel, and shut up.”

That is where Amish custom and New York law clash. New York A.G. and Market Laws prevent the killing of otherwise healthy animals for no reason.

“They need to understand that it is illegal,” says DA Healy. “They can’t treat the animals the way they want to treat the animals they must treat the animals humanely.”

Schumacher, who owns the dogs, told police he had “raised the dogs and couldn’t put them down myself so I asked Jonathan to do it.”

Both men now face nine counts of unjustifiably killing an animal which is a misdemeanor.

Schumacher was charged Wednesday, Eicher expected to be charged Wednesday evening.

[WVNan]

Believe it or not, this is the way Americans used to practice "animal control". It was the accepted way when I was a child. Now we have animal control by government, which is more humane. We just use the inhumane method to "put down humans."

BTW, that is how I learned that cats can't swim very well. They have trouble getting out of the burlap bags. (just kidding, life was different in my day. I still think that old joke is funny).

[Trailerpark Badass]

"Protected?" From what?

So you want it so animals can never be euthanized by their owners? Or is your problem the manner of killing?

Because I don't see any "cruelty" here.

[SatinDoll]

There are public libraries nearby, aren’t there? I’m sure the farmer could get help at the public library where someone would help by contacting a dog rescue outfit for him.

Some people just can’t resist saving a mama dog and puppies. A horse or a cow won’t die protecting a farmer, but dogs will fight to the death to protect their owners. Lots of folks here on FR know that.

I’m only pointing out that there exists an alternative to killing a mama dog and her puppies.

[MeOnTheBeach]

I'm still trying to figure out why the police were called.

Maybe in their rural area they couldn't give them away either?

Too many dogs and cats in this country any ways. Kittens are great until they grow up, get loose, go feral, have tons of kittens, and wipe out every bird, rabbit, etc in the area. I hate them.

Dogs are the same way. Except that the dogs pack up and then - they.come.after.you.

No sympathy what so ever. None. Zero. Nota. I live out in the country and having a pack of feral dogs attack you is one scary event. Been there, done that.

On my property one day and had a pack of dogs come at me. They know exactly how to hunt from instinct. Circled me. The pack leader was a large Lab. He stood in front of me and "GRUFF'd" in order to keep my attention while the others tried to come at me from behind. Sends chills up my spine just remembering it. If I hadn't had that garden hoe in my hands at the time, I tell you what...

Put them down instead of turning them loose. Absolutely. Amen to that!!!


And for dog catcher I have a write in candidate; Remington 870

Sorry if I was a little vague in how I really feel...

[GladesGuru]

“That’s how I want it. I want everyone happy, comfortable, clean, warm, fed, including you and your puppies and babies and the dying.”

We are expecting your check to pay for your above mentioned paradise.

It has Not yet arrived.

[riverrunner]

No just sensible and have a realistic out look on life.

[fattigermaster]

I once put down a dog who had cancer for a neighbor, and I had to put down my own cat when he got so sick he had what seemed a complete mental breakdown. This was back in the days when I could still own guns and in both cases I wrapped them in blankets and petted them and waited until they were asleep.

I raised that cat from a kitten when I found him out in the snow one winter, he’s been gone quite a few years and I still can’t think about another pet of my own. But it seems all the stray cats and other people’s dogs have figured out I’m the local “free rubs” station.

[chrisser]

I’m confused.

If they had eaten the dogs, would it have been OK?

‘Cause most farmers kill perfectly good pigs, cows, chickens, etc.

The only difference I can see is that those animals sometimes get eaten, while in this case, the dogs became valuable compost.

I love dogs, but there are plenty of livestock animals who can be just as intelligent and affectionate as a dog.

[pallis]

The cops would be happy to come over and shoot them.

[READINABLUESTATE]

This is crazy, I would never condone cruelty, but cats and dogs are property not people.

My Father told me that when he was growing up in the 20’s one of his jobs was to “take care of” the litters of kittens. It involved a full tub of water a board and a brick.
We are such bedwetters these days it makes me want to vomit.

[MeOnTheBeach]

I love dogs, but there are plenty of livestock animals who can be just as intelligent and affectionate as a dog.

Especially pigs. Pigs make great pets and are very intelligent. Cows can be fun. :)

Chickens are a different story. Spend a month around chickens and you'll get excited when you get to kill one. :)

I prefer snakes on the farm instead of cats. Serious. Snakes are incredibly useful. Snakes have a kind of equalizing effect. I'm not talking about the constrictors down in Florida. I'm talking about the indigenous varieties; blacks snakes, green, king, etc... Not only does a snake take care of pests but they are food for other animals like birds of prey.

Kill a snake for no reason and watch me lose my temper real fast.

But if I see a feral cat or dog, BOOM! Head shot. With out hesitation.

Wild pigs have to be kept under control too. But that's a different story.

[Dead Corpse]

Should have just called the cops and let them shoot them...

[MrB]

re: Snakes

Which would be more effective:
“No Trespassing”
or
“Danger: Snakes on Premises”

:)

[HomeAtLast]

Many shelters now have such high standards for adoption that people are discouraged from adopting pets.
They want to do home visits, get proof of financial ability, past history of adopting or surrendering pets, history of residency...and more.
If you’re not deemed acceptable — and sometimes your current pets too must pass inspection and compatibility tests — the prospective adoptee stays put. Until of course they euthanize him.

[Eska]

Hey genius, we're talking dogs here, not humans; at least that's what I read from the article. Did you read that they found aborted babies in the compost pile?

By the way, there isn't any vets within 400 miles of my home and the road is closed for the winter. Last winter I had to shoot an old friend of 14 years; hated doing it, but wasn't going to let him die in pain and agony. I heard some of you claim that I could be arrested for animal cruelty. Well, it's how it's done with dogs where we call home; no matter what any of you all think about it.

[Eska]

They couldn't wait to start shooting all the dogs soon as snowmachines came out.

Dogs would also be released in islands in the river and left there to fend for themselves all summer, they'd learn to catch salmon swimming upriver. Also when they'd stake dogs along river, dogs had water and learned pretty quick to catch fish in the river. Indians didn't have to take care of dogs all summer.

We had a preacher that also trapped. He took a dogteam and killed them one by one, used dead dog as bait set for wolves, no joke; that even bothered me some.

Another local started eating his dogs one by one a few winters back; ran low on food, couldn't find any moose; true story.

I wanna kiss the animals wouldn't make it here in Alaska.

[Venturer]

What the difference between shooting them and giving them a needle or gas.

Years ago when a dog was suffering it was put down that way. They never heard of the song “Old Shep”?

Cats were drowned in bags and dogs were shot, it was no more animal cruelty than what is practised in every dog pound in the country when animals are euthanised.

Funny the story says:New York A.G. and Market Laws prevent the killing of otherwise healthy animals for no reason.

And yet the State of New York allows the killing of human babies in the womb for no reason.

[yldstrk]

oh bullshit I probably pay more taxes than anything else

[Venturer]

The dog pound can kill animals
The abortion doctor can kill babies,

But a private citizen cannot save himself a $40 dollar fee for putting down his sick animal by using a 15 cent shot shell.

[Persevero]

I don’t think it’s right than an animal shelter can kill the dogs but a private citizen can’t.

I do understand laws against torture. But a clean shot to the head is not torture.