Man Sentenced For Starving His Dog

Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.) ^ | June 19, 2002

[Shermy]

A Hannibal town justice Monday night sentenced a man to what one investigator says is among the toughest penalties faced by an Oswego County defendant in an animal cruelty case.

Darcy Noble, 33, of [ snip ] Road, Woodland Trailer Park, received three years' probation and was ordered to pay $675.15 in restitution. Justice Luther Dennison also ordered Noble not to own any animals for the next five years.

Noble admitted last month in court that he starved his dog earlier this year. The dog, a 3- or 4-year-old mixed breed, never recovered from the malnutrition so doctors euthanized it, said Officer Sheldon Furlong, an Oswego County Welfare Animal Cruelty investigator.

"The judge made a clear message that this will not be tolerated," Furlong said. "It was very clear the district attorney's office and the judge are fully enforcing the Agriculture and Markets Law against people who abuse and neglect animals that result in unnecessary pain, torture and death."

Oswego County sheriff's deputies arrested Noble and Mabelene E. Gigon, 31, in February after finding a dead German shepherd and two starving mixed breeds outside their mobile home, police reports said. The mixed breeds were euthanized after doctors said the dogs were traumatized and not recovering, Furlong said.

Sheriff's Deputy Daniel J. Ferazzoli, Furlong and a town animal control officer went to the home after someone reported the incident Feb. 3.

"We found one of the dogs frozen into the ground with a collar and chain still on it. It was chained to a tree and laying next to the dog dish, which was filled with leaves," Furlong said. "The dog had been starved to death. The other two were in pretty bad shape."

A veterinarian's report showed the dog weighed 20 pounds at death, or one-third of what it should have weighed, Furlong said. The report also said the 7-year-old German shepherd had not eaten in weeks or maybe months. It died of malnutrition and exposure to cold weather, Furlong said of the report.

Noble and Gigon were charged Feb. 9 with one count of failure to provide adequate sustenance to an animal, a misdemeanor in the Agriculture and Markets Law. That was for each of the mixed breeds. Gigon also was charged with a misdemeanor count of cruelty to an animal resulting in the death of the German shepherd by starving it.

Noble and Gigon pleaded guilty to the charges last month in Hannibal Town Court, Furlong said.

Gigon's case was adjourned until July 2 because her presentence report was not complete, Furlong said.

[mamelukesabre]

No, they shoot them before that happens.

[moteineye]

Incidents of animal cruelty that aren't prosecuted drive fanatical animal rights groups. Problems like this need to be handled now.

[Texas Gal]

But you are not cruel, tomakaze, are you?  

Please look here for a little more in that regard.

[Sungirl]

RE:And, what if the guy had told your dad to beat it? Tough for the dog?

In a nutshell, yes.

Wow...I hope you are kidding. And if you aren't... I hope you aren't bringing up any kids with the same uncaring cold heart and attitude that you have.

Thank GOD the laws are changing and it's becoming felonies all over the country when you abuse or are cruel to animals.

[tomakaze]

RE:... I hope you aren't bringing up any kids with the same uncaring cold heart and attitude that you have.
 
A little presumptious are we?.
 
RE:Thank GOD the laws are changing and it's becoming felonies all over the country when you abuse or are cruel to animals.
 
[begin sarcastic rant] Oh Yes indeed. thank gawd for the ongoing infantilization of the public that feeds into the continuing social and legal pressures to equivilize animals and humans. Maybe some day we'll, by gawd, get rid of all those nasty testing facilities and stop making noble pigs into insulin slaves so some filthy human diabetic can eke out a few more miserable years of existance.
Euqal rights and Sufferage for animals! (Peta members acting as proxy of course) [end sarcastic rant]

[tomakaze]

RE:Remember those kids who were dragging Dutchess around by a choke collar when you first found her? They grew up to be people who chained their dogs up & starved them to death
 
or, and here's a more realistic scenario, wound being the type of jack*sses who raise rottweilers or pitbulls, keep them half starved and beat them to keep 'em mean, don't keep them chained up, then p*ss and moan to the sheriff when you wind up having to shoot the damned things for chasing your livestock and mauling a couple calves.
 
I've put down dogs for that, although I have hesitated - and, as a kid, I've lost good dogs of my own to things like that (shot by someone else for chasing harrasing their livestock, killing chickens).
It's just a fact of rural life.

[tomakaze]

RE:Exactly! The sad fact is that people think it's a horrible crime to starve an animal, but it's just fine and dandy to deliberately murder millions of unborn babies on a daily basis. Even President Bush hasn't done jack squat to stop the genocide!
 
(I don't know how I missed this the first time around).
I'll second that.

[Chi-Town Lady]

I just wonder about people who abuse animals like that. They say that they end up abusing people. Jeffery Dahlmer is a fine example of that.

[Ditter]

I don't live in the country now but I did from 1963 to 1979. I know what you mean about dogs in the country & the things that happen. A pack of dogs attacked a colt of ours. They didn't kill before eating it, & my husband shot most of them & then he shot the colt. The owner of the dogs was pissed. A dog running free is usually able to feed itself (on your chickens maybe) & find water, but a dog chained up & forgotten & left to starve is unconscionable. Anyone who does this should be punished for cruelty to a helpless animal. Shooting a sick or injured animal is a kindness, starving one thru meaness or neglect is another matter all together.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

For your information........

[Terriergal]

sick person.

[Terriergal]

The sad fact is that people think it's a horrible crime to starve an animal, but it's just fine and dandy to deliberately murder millions of unborn babies on a daily basis

I totally agree.

[Terriergal]

I've been in threads for 600 posts or more defending animals against the cast of Deliverance (and I ain't talking about Jon Voight or Burt)! Oh? Who exactly are you talking about?

[Terriergal]

DO you ever let him in the house? I'll bet your dog is very agitated and lonely....at least get him a buddy

There she goes preaching again... Don't forget not to teach your kids to hunt (e.g. 'kill animals for "fun"')

[Terriergal]

I wouldn't harm an animal myself. People who do are usually a danger to humans

I agree with your post but be careful here about making too broad a statement. the part I quoted just gives Sungirl and her ilk what she thinks is support for her point of view against those who would choose to hunt.

[Terriergal]

Yikes. I agree.

[Terriergal]

Shut the hell up, you moron.

She's right.

[Bella_Bru]

The poster, Tabitha Soren is one of two things: A DU troll, or 2) a regular FReepers altrernate screen name. If you look at her posting history, she regularly attacks animal abuse threads. Now, if someone were to go on an abortion thread and change topic, or attempt to, they'd be verbally beaten down. If she doesn't give a shit about animal abuse, why doesn't she find a different thread to piss on?

[Terriergal]

PING for more animal rights fun...

[Terriergal]

Well, I still say she's right. You have a point that this thread was not about abortion and didn't really warrant an attempt to change the topic. But it is funny how we as a society will allow people to raise all kinds of h*|| for animals who are abused but you can't even hardly stand outside of an abortion clinic with a sign.