Editor:
The arrest of a St. Charles County man for allegedly strangling, stomping and dismembering cats he’d acquired through Craigslist ads is a reminder of the dangers of giving animals away without proper screening and other precautions.
“Free to a good home” ads are magnets for cruel and psychotic people who seek easy victims for use as “bait” in training dogs for fighting, to feed to captive predators, or to torture and kill in other ways. Just a few recent examples include the following:
•A Utah man was charged with killing as many as 11 cats and kittens he’d obtained through Craigslist ads, at least one of which was burned alive.
•A Florida man who was charged with stabbing a dog more than 50 times allegedly scanned Craigslist ads “trying to find cats or kittens to kill as sacrifices.”
•A man who killed 26 people in a mass shooting at a church in Texas previously told a friend that he’d acquired dogs through Craigslist ads and killed them for “target practice.”
If you must rehome an animal, always charge a sizeable adoption fee and thoroughly screen potential adopters by visiting the home and meeting other family members (including animals); requiring an application, contract and references; and following up afterward. Alternatively, animals should be taken to a well-run, open-admission shelter that screens adopters and never gives animals away.
For more tips, visit www.PETA.org. Sincerely, Teresa Chagrin Animal Care and Control Issues Manager People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals 501 Front St. Norfolk, VA 23510 443-320-1277.
Teresa Chagrin
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