AR-News: Recent Rodeo Charges

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

Dear Friends,

The following article correlates to a story that aired on NBC in San Diego 
about the California rodeo charges that we reported about back in early April.

Additionally, the rodeo thugs who were charged with animal cruelty from last 
September's Big Bucks Rodeo in Morris, Illinois , Michael Latting and Juaquin 
Santos have a status hearing June 15th in Morris.  We will keep you updated on 
that case, as we hope to finally see some justice for the rodeo animals, as 
well as Illinois law being upheld.

Rodeo Accused Of Brutality
Videotape Shows Alleged Abuse

POSTED: 11:57 am PDT May 7, 2004
UPDATED: 12:03 pm PDT May 7, 2004
 
SAN DIEGO -- An advocate for the humane treatment of animals says she has 
evidence of animal abuse at a local rodeo, NBC 7/39 reported. 
The allegations involve last year's Valley Center Rodeo. Thursday, Pat Vinet 
and the San Diego Humane Society took Dave Misner Rodeo, the company that put 
the rodeo on , to court on charges of animal abuse. 
Vinet videotaped the action at the rodeo. She hoped to introduce the tape in 
court, but before she could, the judge dismissed the case on a technicality. 
Vinet's attorney didn't have written permission from the San Diego County 
District Attorney's Office to handle the case, so the judge refused to hear the 
case, NBC 7/39 reported. 
 
Vinet provided the television station with the tape. 
"Show it to the viewers and let them decide if animal abuse occurred," she 
told NBC 7/39. 
The station played the tape for John Van Zante with the Helen Woodward Animal 
Center. He said that it appears to show a man using a Taser gun or cattle 
prod to shock animals. 
"It's enough of a jolt that it makes the animal leap and run in fear for its 
life," Van Zante said. 
Van Zante said that an electrical shock can prompt a bull or horse to buck 
more, making for a more exciting rodeo. But he said that it is illegal in 
California to shock animals for entertainment purposes. 
Dave Misner Rodeo would only comment on the case through attorney Gary 
Nelson. Nelson said the device held by the man in the tape did not have batteries. 
"You can reach out and touch [animals] with something that even looks like [a 
cattle prod,] and they'll jump and move, because they anticipate it's going 
to be a shock," Nelson said. 
Vinet rejected Nelson's explanation. 
"That's so absurd, it's not even worthy of a response," she told NBC 7/39. 
If Dave Misner Rodeo had been convicted of abuse charges, it would have faced 
up to $2,500 in fines, according to NBC 7/39. Vinet said that she is now 
considering a civil lawsuit against the company. 
 
For the Animals,
 
Jodie Wiederkehr
SHARK
sharkintl at aol.com
www.sharkonline.org




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    "The day may come when the rest of the animal creation may acquire those 
rights which never could have been withholden from them but by the hand of 
tyranny. The question is not can they REASON, nor can they TALK, but can they 
SUFFER?" 
Jeremy Bentham 1748 - 1832 



         
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