AR-News: FW: Love Bug needs your help!

[jim robertson]

>Subject: Love Bug needs your help!
>Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 19:17:47 -0800
>
>
>This case is hideous and involves a kitten named Love Bug whose tail was 
>intentionally cut off by a city employee in TX. The city employee is NOT 
>FACING CRUELTY CHARGES!
>
>
>http://www.peta.org/Automation/AlertItem.asp?id=952
>
>
>Demand Justice for Tortured Cat in Gatesville, Texas
>
>
>----------
>On October 20, 2003, two Gatesville city employees found a friendly kitten 
>wandering in a local park and took her back to their workshop to provide 
>care for her until they could find a suitable home for her. The next day, 
>one of their coworkers, Butch Barton, allegedly hacked off the kitten's 
>tail with his pocket knife. Unbelievably, cruelty-to-animals charges have 
>not been filed against Barton!
>
>Under Texas' anti-cruelty statute, it is a blatant violation of law to 
>intentionally or knowingly torture an animal - regardless of whether the 
>animal has a known owner or guardian. Gatesville's district attorney stated 
>that even feral animals are protected by this statute but that it is up to 
>the county attorney to prosecute this case. The county attorney is refusing 
>to prosecute, claiming that he has not received any information about this 
>case from law-enforcement officials. Meanwhile, Gatesville Chief of Police 
>J.C. Burch has declined to forward the case to the county attorney, 
>erroneously claiming that criminal charges are not merited because the 
>kitten did not have an owner. 
><http://www.peta.org/automation/fp/JCBurch-Letter.pdf>Click here to view 
>the letter from Chief Burch.
>
>PETA continues to be inundated with telephone calls from Coryell County 
>residents about this disturbing case, and we are strongly urging 
>authorities to pursue criminal charges against Barton for his alleged 
>actions. 
><http://www.peta.org/automation/fp/stephaniebell_gatesville.pdf>Click here  
>to view PETA's letter to Gatesville city officials.
>
>Please contact the chief of police and urge him to investigate this crime 
>as he would any other and to file appropriate charges. Please also contact 
>the county prosecutor to ask him to vigorously prosecute Barton - for the 
>sake of the community as well as its animals:
>
>In order not to detract from our campaign, it is imperative that all 
>correspondence be polite and dignified.
>
>J.C. Burch, Chief of Police
>Gatesville Police Department
>200 N. Eighth St.
>Gatesville, TX 76528
>254-865-2226
>254-865-5070 (fax)
><mailto:jburch at ci.gatesville.tx.us>jburch at ci.gatesville.tx.us
>
>The Honorable Edwin E. Powell Jr., County Attorney
>Coryell County
>P.O. Box 796
>Gatesville, TX 76528
>254-865-8261
>254-865-9080 (fax)
>
>
>
>
>
>

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