Toll of suspicious cat deaths reaches 6 in La Quinta

Riverside County sheriff's officials are investigating the suspicious deaths of three cats recently reported in the La Quinta area, bringing the total to six felines found gutted, mutilated or shot in recent weeks.

Lt. Raymond Gregory, a Sheriff's Department spokesman, said investigators believe the first three cat slayings, which took place within a one-mile radius in the northern part of La Quinta, are linked. He said in those cases the cats had not been attacked by an animal.

Gregory said it was less clear whether animals could have killed the cats found more recently.

The first cat's carcass was found with gunshot wounds on May 29 in the gated community of Starlight Dunes. The next day, a second cat was found gutted on Desert Stream Drive near La Quinta Park. The third incident occurred June 18, when a resident told police his cat was found with its stomach slit open in front of his home in the 44000 block of Foxtail Circle.

Gregory said the owners discarded the animals before the Sheriff's Department could examine the carcasses.

"We didn't have any physical evidence on the cats," Gregory said. "And a few weeks went by, and it looked like isolated incidents until the third killing."

Gregory said the initial news reports about the killings generated more calls from cat owners about additional incidents, raising concerns by law enforcement officials that a cat killer -- whether human or not -- is on the loose.

The fourth suspicious cat death was reported Saturday, he said. The cat's body was found torn apart in Bermuda Dunes, an unincorporated area north of La Quinta.

"Animals may have had access to the body in that case," Gregory said.

A fifth cat's carcass was found Sunday at the Renaissance Housing Development, at Avenue 50 and Jefferson Street in La Quinta. Its location, in the heart of the small town, and the way the carcass was placed suggest that a human may have caused the death, Gregory said.

The sixth cat death was reported Monday when a mutilated cat was found near a housing development in La Quinta at Washington Street and Miles Avenue.

"That one is the most suspicious," Gregory said. "There were numerous cuts to the body and the skin was partially removed. And its location is more urban."

Unlike the first three cat deaths, in which the animals' carcasses were discarded by the owners, authorities have the bodies of the three most recently killed. As in human homicide investigations, officials photographed the scene of each death.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

South L.A. man accused of running a cockfighting ring

A South Los Angeles man has been charged with running a cockfighting ring, the district attorney's office announced today.

Israel Ramirez, 52, was arrested Tuesday night on a warrant charging him with felony cockfighting, animal cruelty, possession of cockfighting paraphernalia and possession of birds with the intent to fight, officials said.

Los Angeles police received a tip last month about a cockfight in progress in the 1300 block of East 108th Street, according to a police report.

Officers apprehended Ramirez and 10 of about 30 spectators who ran from the scene.

-- Joanna Lin

Homeless man faces felony trial in cat torture case

A transient is facing trial for allegedly soaking a live cat in gasoline and torching it in the Rancho Cucamonga area, the Associated Press reports. Here's an excerpt:

Timothy Kooyman was ordered Tuesday to stand trial on four felony counts of animal abuse and starting a fire. He will be arraigned July 15.

Investigators testifying at the 24-year-old man's preliminary hearing say Kooyman killed one of the cats by dousing it with gasoline and using a lighter to set it on fire while it was still alive.

The flaming cat then ran into a vacant lot and started a brush blaze.

Six hours after the May 13 brush fire, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Deputy Wendy Saucedo arrested Kooyman. She testified that Kooyman had a storage bin in his car with two mutilated, but alive, cats inside.

The cats had broken legs, and their tails were cut off.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Woman gets prison term for animal cruelty

A Lancaster woman has been sentenced to two years and eight months in state prison after pleading no contest to animal cruelty charges, CBS2 news reports:

The charges stemmed from a dog and a horse that had to be put down after Animal Control officers found the neglected animals. Janis Ridgeway Damiani, 57, was the manager of a horse rescue in Pearblossom where, authorities said, a number of horses were kept in deplorable conditions that included being underfed.

Twenty-eight other animal cruelty charges filed against her earlier this month were dismissed as a result of the plea, according to John Nantroup, head deputy of the district attorney's Antelope Valley office.

Those charges involved 14 other horses and 14 cats that were starving or severely injured and had to be euthanized, authorities said.

Man enters plea on attempted dog-drowning charge

A 20-year-old man accused of trying to drown his Shih Tzu, Toby, after the dog defecated on a carpet pleaded no contest today to felony animal cruelty, officials said.

Casey Purser was charged with the single felony count on Oct. 4, 2007, following his arrest.  Purser had been in jail on an unrelated drug case and was released on bail three days earlier, said Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.

When Purser returned to his Van Nuys home, he found that the Shih Tzu, one of his two dogs, had defecated on the carpet. He allegedly threw the dog into a bathtub and held it under water, Gibbons said.

A neighbor rescued the dog, gave it mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and took it to a veterinarian. The animal survived. Purser’s other dog, a pit bull puppy named Evesue, was taken by authorities when Purser was arrested at the veterinarian’s office.

At his arraignment hearing Friday, Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Richard Kirschner ordered Purser to undergo a 90-day diagnostic study prior to sentencing, according to Deputy Dist. Atty. Jane Creighton.

Released on bond, Purser was ordered to surrender on Aug. 4 for the study, Creighton said.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Cases of three cats gutted or shot in La Quinta now linked

Riverside County sheriff’s officials are investigating a trio of cat slayings in La Quinta over the last few weeks in which owners found their felines disemboweled, gutted, or shot.

"We only get about half a dozen animal cruelty calls a month but nothing like this," said Lt. Raymond Gregory, a sheriff’s spokesman. "So this is too unusual and too weird."

Investigators believe the cat slayings are linked, Gregory said.

The latest incident occurred June 18, when a resident told police his cat was found with its stomach slit open in front of his home in the 44000 block of Foxtail Circle.

A gutted cat was found May 30 on Desert Stream Drive near La Quinta Park, the day after a feline was found shot in the gated community of Starlight Dunes. Gregory said the owners discarded the cats before the Sheriff’s Department could examine the carcasses.

"We didn’t have any physical evidence on the cats," Gregory said. "And a few weeks went by and it looked like isolated incidents until last week’s killing."

Gregory said it was clear that the gutted cats had not been attacked by an animal.

All three killings took place within a one-mile radius in the northern part of La Quinta, he said.

"This is a residential area so we are certainly urging the public to contact us if they see anything suspicious," said Gregory, who also serves as assistant chief for La Quinta Police, which is also investigating the cases. "The public should also keep an eye on their cats."

Gregory said if anyone saw violence against an animal in progress they should call 911. Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call the sheriff’s station in Indio at (760) 863-8990.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

* An earlier headline on this post incorrectly said the incidents took place in La Corona.

Police dog dies in hot patrol car

San Diego police and the county Department of Animal Services are investigating the death of a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois police dog named Forest who was found Friday in the back of his handler's squad car in Alpine, where the temperature soared to more than 100 degrees.

A necropsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death. The dog's handler, a 22-year veteran, has been put on desk duty pending a decision.

Two other Belgian Malinois police dogs have died in recent years of an intestinal condition common to the breed, San Diego officials said.

In 2000, a Superior Court jury deadlocked 9 to 3 to acquit a San Diego officer on a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty in the heat-exhaustion death of a police dog. The 7-year-old German shepherd had been left in a police car on a hot day. The judge then dismissed the charge, which had been recommended by the Police Department.

--Tony Perry

Adelanto man accused of throwing puppy against doghouse

An Adelanto dog owner has been arrested, accused of repeatedly throwing a puppy against a doghouse while drunk, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department officials said.

On Sunday night, after hearing yelps from the 12-pound pit bull-Labrador mix, neighbors confronted the puppy's owner, Donald Brown, said sheriff's spokeswoman Staci Johnson.

When Brown, who appeared intoxicated, didn't stop throwing the puppy, his neighbors called police, Johnson said.

"Brown was throwing the puppy in the doghouse with enough force to move the house," Johnson said. "He did this numerous times, and between each throw, hit the dog on the head causing it to yelp."

Brown, 55, was arrested Sunday night and booked for investigation of animal cruelty and being drunk in public. He is being held at West Valley Detention Center with his bail set at $30,000.

Johnson said authorities don't know why Brown was angry at the 3-month-old puppy, which is now in the care of the Adelanto Animal Control Division.

--Francisco Vara-Orta

Former slaughterhouse worker pleads no contest to animal cruelty charges

The Associated Press reports that a former Southern California slaughterhouse worker has pleaded no contest to animal cruelty charges after being caught on undercover video abusing sick and injured cows.

The footage prompted the largest beef recall in U.S. history. Daniel Ugarte Navarro entered the plea Friday in San Bernardino County Superior Court in Chino to two felony counts of animal cruelty and two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to downed animals.

He could get up to a year in jail when he is sentenced on Aug. 25. Another worker, Rafael Sanchez Herrera, pleaded guilty in March to three misdemeanor counts of illegal movement of a non-ambulatory animal and was sentenced to six months in jail.

Woman pleads not guilty to animal cruelty charges at horse sanctuary

A 57-year-old woman charged with 30 felony counts of animal cruelty has pleaded not guilty in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Lancaster.

Janis Ridgeway Damiani, caretaker of a Pearblossom sanctuary for old and sick horses, is being held in Los Angeles County sheriff's custody on $600,000 bail. She made her plea Wednesday.

She was arrested at Equus Sanctuary on Monday after county officials said 15 horses in her care were emaciated, weak or had sores and that the facility lacked water and food.

The horses were euthanized, along with a dog and 14 cats that authorities said were also starving or injured. An additional 100 horses were confiscated from the sanctuary and placed at other facilities.

If convicted, Damiani faces up to 24 years in prison. A preliminary hearing in the case was scheduled for June 30.

-- Jill Leovy

Is ordering foie gras an ungodly choice?

In a thoughtful essay titled "Animal Rights and the Church" the Rev. Richard Benson explores from a religious perspective moral questions concerning the use of animals.

Writing in the Catholic newspaper The Tidings, Benson notes that Christians are asking more and more questions about such issues as animal testing and industrial farming practices. For example, is the production of foie gras -- a frequent target of animal rights activists -- inhumane?

"So what is a Catholic supposed to think?" Benson writes. "Is there a line between the rights of humans and the rights of animals? If there is a line, where is it?"

As part of his answer, Benson offers comments from Pope Benedict XVI.

In a 2002 interview with German journalist Peter Seewald, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, addressed the issue of foie gras himself, thus raising consciousness about it, especially in cultures that were historically insensitive to the abuse of the animals in its production:

"We cannot just do whatever we want with them," he said. "Certainly, a sort of industrial use of creatures, so that geese are fed in such a way as to produce as large a liver as possible, or hens living so packed together that they become just caricatures of birds, this degrading of living creatures to a commodity seems to me in fact to contradict the relationship of mutuality that comes across in the Bible. Animals, too, are God's creatures and even if they do not have the same direct relationship to God that human beings have, they are still creatures of God's will, creatures we must respect as companions in creation."

And speaking of animals and the pope, Benedict is a quite a lover of cats. In fact, his affection for felines inspired a book called "Joseph and Chico: The Life of Pope Benedict XVI as Told by a Cat."

-- Steve Padilla

Photo of geese: Danny Johnston/Associated Press

Photo of Benedict: Giancarlo Giuliani/Vatican Pool

Deputies arrest animal rescuer

Deputies arrested a well-known animal rescuer in the Mojave area Friday, accusing her of abusing animals, the Bakersfield Californian reports:

The new Grand Jury charges against Cynthia Bemis added to the dozens of animal cruelty charges already filed against the 59-year-old woman, according to the Kern County Sheriff’s Department. Bemis is facing 15 criminal charges of failing to care for animals in San Bernardino Court and 20 animal cruelty charges in Kern County Superior Court.

Under a court order, Bemis must submit to weekly inspections by Animal Control at her property located at East Trotter Avenue southeast of Mojave, said Sgt. Richard Wood with the Sheriff’s Department. Officers impounded two cats and nine dogs in a raid on Bemis’ property in February after a report of several animals being unhealthy.

Deputies also arrested Cynthia Trapani, 47, at Bemis’ property on Friday, deputies said. Trapani, who works with Bemis, is accused of shoving an animal control officer in an inspection in February, Wood said.

Puppy mill survivor on tour -- tonight at Borders in Pasadena

The sign on the door of the Barnes & Noble at The Grove proclaims: "NO PETS ALLOWED."  But Baby, a 14-year-old snow-white poodle, sauntered through, wrapped in Jana Kohl's arms, trailed by an entourage and greeted by an eager store official. 

That's because Baby, a puppy mill survivor, was on her way to an autograph-signing for Kohl's new book, "A Rare Breed of Love,"  which has made a cover girl out of the little canine -- who is attractively shaggy and sans that overly manicured poodle cut. 

The fact that Baby has only three legs hobbles her walk but not her presence.  Despite Kohl's fretting over how many people pet her as she takes her on tour, Baby seems relaxed and calm.

Tonight, you can see Kohl and Baby at 7 at Borders in Pasadena at 475 South Lake Ave.

Rancho Cucamonga man charged with six counts of cat abuse

A transient with a history of animal abuse is in a San Bernardino County jail, accused of torturing cats, the Associated Press reports.

Court documents show 24-year-old Timothy Kooyman was charged last week with six counts of felony animal cruelty and one count of recklessly causing a fire.

Sheriff's officials say Kooyman was found May 13 in Rancho Cucamonga with two cats that had broken bones and whose tails had been cut off. He later was linked to an arson where a cat had been doused with gasoline, lighted on fire and thrown into a field.

Records show Kooyman is on probation from a case last year where he was convicted of abusing cats. He was being held Tuesday without bail.

--Francisco Vara-Orta

State investigating severed bear paws in Riverside

State wildlife investigators want to know whether a legitimate hunter or a poacher dealing in illegal animal parts left a pair of severed black bear paws in front of a Riverside home recently, The Times' David Kelly reports.

The paws, which were in a plastic bag, appeared on the doorstep of a home on Clifton Boulevard on May 4. But who dropped them off is a mystery, Kelly reports:

"The hunter was a friend of a friend of a friend who nobody seems to know," said Riverside police spokesman Steven Frasher. "We don't know if the paws were discarded or what. The homeowner threw them out, but then a neighbor called the police.

"There is speculation that this was a trophy, but leaving meat products on the doorstep in Southern California is not a good preservation strategy."

The paws were put into storage, and the case was turned over to the California Department of Fish and Game. The Humane Society of the United States has offered a $2,500 reward for the arrest and conviction of whoever was responsible if, in fact, they were poachers.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Is arson linked to a cougar death in Chicago?

Perhaps you recall the cougar that was shot last month on the north side of Chicago? There was a great uproar among animal folk about the death and criticism (and praise) for the way the surprise appearance was handled. Now it turns out that authorities are investigating whether an arson fire near the Chicago mayor's summer home last month is linked to threats against Mayor Richard M. Daley from someone who is furious about the cougar killing. The Washington Post has an update:

Chicago FBI Special Agent Ross Rice said that "a number of letters were received at various locations throughout the metropolitan area blaming Mayor Daley and others for what the writer called the unnecessary death of the cougar, and threatening to take revenge against the mayor and other individuals."

Rice declined to reveal more details of the letters, one of which was sent to an elementary school near where the animal was killed. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Daley received a letter mentioning his wife and children and threatening to burn his home.

The FBI is investigating the letters.

--Alice Short

Photo: Chicago Tribune

USDA to tighten cow slaughter rules

The government plans to close a loophole in meat inspection rules that led to the record recall of 143 million pounds of ground beef this year. The Baltimore Sun's Jonathan D. Rockoff reports:

The Department of Agriculture will prohibit meat plants from slaughtering any cow that can't stand and walk on its own at any point after it arrives at a plant, Schafer said.

The rule would eliminate existing provisions that allow plants to send "downer," or sick, cows to slaughter if they fall ill after passing an initial inspection and then pass a second inspection.

"I believe it is sound policy to simplify this matter by initiating a complete ban on the slaughter of cattle that go down after an initial inspection," [Agriculture Secretary Edward T.] Schafer said in a statement. The new rule should be in effect by the end of the year.

The revision of the rules was prompted by an undercover Humane Society video showing abuse of sick cows at Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. in Chino that lead to a massive recall earlier this year.

-Francisco Vara-Orta

Photo: Cezaro De Luca/EPA

Girl poisons family dogs over bad grades

Police say a 14-year-old Fullerton girl lethally poisoned her family's two dogs yesterday after arguing with her parents over bad grades, the Associated Press reports:

Police say the girl fed her sister's medications to a Yorkie and a larger dog Sunday night after her parents left the house.

Sgt. Mike MacDonald says the girl has been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty and is in custody at Orange County's juvenile hall.

The dogs were in shock when the family returned later that night, and the animals were rushed to a pet clinic, where they died.

Officers say the girl maintains she wasn't treated fairly when her parents told her Sunday afternoon they weren't happy with her grades. The girl's name has not been released because of her age.

Animal control rescues 10 pit bull terriers*

*3:21 p.m.: A suspected dogfighting operation has been broken up in rural Ramona, San Diego County animal services officials said today.

Ten pit bull terriers believed used in fighting were seized in a raid after officials received a tip, officials said. Some dogs were chained, others were entangled around stakes, and many had scars on their faces and legs.

The property owner was not home when search warrants were served.

The dogs were taken to a shelter in Carlsbad and information turned over to the district attorney’s office for possible criminal charges.

Among the evidence seized were treadmills, medications, syringes, trophies and dogfighting schedules, said Lt. Dan DeSousa, supervising animal control officer for the county’s animal services department. The dogfighting schedules appeared to be in code, DeSousa added.

DeSousa said the owner appears to have been a “hobbyist” dogfighter, not a professional. While San Diego County has not been considered a center of dogfighting, officials are not discounting the possibility. “Dogfighting goes on here,” De Sousa said. “We’d be foolish to think it doesn’t.”

--Tony Perry

Photo: San Diego County Department of Animal Services

Was that undercover video of abused chickens a staged event?

Last week, the Associated Press reported that Trader Joe’s announced it will stop carrying eggs from a Central California farm where an animal rights group shot undercover video showing chickens being mistreated by workers. But it seems this story isn't over.

Now the AP is reporting that the farm is accusing an animal rights group of staging an undercover video that shows its workers mistreating chickens.

A statement released Monday by Gemperle Farms claims an activist affiliated with Chicago-based Mercy for Animals coerced Gemperle employees into violating the farm's animal welfare standards.

Footage released last week by the group showed hens confined in crowded metal cages with rotting bird corpses. Monrovia-based Trader Joe's announced after the video was released it would stop carrying Gemperle eggs. Mercy for Animals executive director Nathan Runkle told The Modesto Bee the video was authentic and said the group would sue Gemperle for libel if it did not retract its statement.

Europe's new wave of animal activism -- saving bulls and coddling fish

Animal activism, it seems, is catching on in Europe. A report in the Houston Chronicle explains that the animal rights movement is affecting, among other things, bullfighting.

Spain's iconic sport, bullfighting, is known for its ferocity and flair. But the centuries-old spectacle may have met its match in an equally tenacious opponent: Europe's animal rights movement.

For the first time Thursday, doping tests were introduced at Spain's most prestigious bullfighting festival after allegations that bulls are given drugs to tip the balance in favor of the matador. Under pressure and falling ratings, Spanish TV has dropped bullfighting from its schedule.

The increasingly vocal anti-bullfighting lobby says it's only a matter of time before the sport is relegated to the history books.

"People in Europe are finally beginning to accept the animal welfare message," said Kate Fowler-Reeves, head of campaigns for Animal Aid, the U.K.'s largest animal rights group.

In Switzerland, dogs are about to benefit from a little activism as well. Starting Sept. 1, a law will require dog owners to take (and pay for) a two-part training course. Among other things, dog owners will be instructed on how to properly walk a dog on the street. For more on those wacky Swiss and their new rules about "social species," check out this report from the Times of London:

From guinea pigs to budgerigars, any animal classified as a “social species” will be a victim of abuse if it does not cohabit, or at least have contact, with others of its own kind. The new regulation stipulates that aquariums for pet fish should not be transparent on all sides and that owners must make sure that the natural cycle of day and night is maintained in terms of light. Goldfish are considered social animals, or Gruppentiere in German.

-- Alice Short

Bullfighting photo: Paul White / Associated Press

Goldfish photo: Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times

Rapper DMX arrested on suspicion of abusing pit bulls

Rapper DMX was arrested Friday -- for the second time in a week -- in connection with a raid on his house last summer that allegedly turned up weapons, drugs, dog carcasses and abused pit bulls.

The Arizona Republic reports:

After a 7-month investigation, Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies arrested Earl Simmons, better known as rapper DMX, at his Cave Creek home early Friday morning on suspicion of misdemeanor animal cruelty and felony drug possession.

The arrest stems from a raid by deputies on the rapper's home in August, which led to the seizure of 12 dogs that appeared malnourished and the discovery of three more dogs buried in the backyard.

The rapper tried to barricade himself in his bedroom while the search warrant was being served, but he eventually emerged, authorities said.

DMX had been arrested Tuesday on suspicion of driving up to 114 miles per hour on a highway.

It's hardly a surprise that a search of DMX's house would turn up pit bulls. After all, one of his recent albums was called "Year of the Dog...Again," and he does have song hooks that feature barking dogs.

DMX was convicted of animal cruelty in New Jersey in 1999 for housing 13 pit bulls in tight cages, and agreed to record a public service announcement against cruelty as part of his plea deal, according to the Republic.

To the surprise of sheriff's deputies, who found five pit bull puppies at his house Friday, DMX continued to keep dogs at his house even after the raid last summer. "He had to know that we were still investigating him," Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio told the Republic.

The puppies were taken away and will now be in the care of jail inmates.

-- Tony Barboza

Photo: Frank Miceotta/Getty Images

Trader Joe’s stops carrying eggs from California farm

Trader Joe’s announced Thursday that it will stop carrying eggs from a Central California farm where an animal rights group shot undercover video showing chickens being mistreated by workers, the Associated Press reports:

Footage released earlier this week by the Chicago-based nonprofit Mercy for Animals showed hens at Gemperle Enterprises’ farms confined in crowded metal cages with rotting bird corpses.

The chain decided against carrying Gemperle eggs because "it is of utmost importance that all of our vendors abide by industry-established animal care practices," Trader Joe’s spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said.

Previously, the chain’s Northern California and Northern Nevada stores had sourced conventional eggs from NuCal Foods Inc., which also distributes eggs from Gemperle and dozens of other farms to Raley’s and SaveMart Supermarkets.

Mochizuki said the Trader Joe’s ban on Gemperle eggs was indefinite.

Raley’s plans to continue to carry all eggs from NuCal, but "does not condone any acts of cruelty to animals," said spokeswoman Nicole Townsend. A SaveMart Supermarkets spokeswoman did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Photo: Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times

Texan wanted in shooting of bison

An arrest warrant accuses a Texas man of animal cruelty and theft in the slaughter of 32 bison on a Colorado ranch near Fairplay in March, according to Times wire reports.

The warrant names Jeffrey Scott Hawn of Austin, who controls the ranch where the bison were shot. The bison were found in late March strewn across hundreds of snow-covered acres about 85 miles southwest of Denver.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Sick of animal cruelty? Observe Be Kind to Animals Week

Animal news this week has been especially grisly, with kittens in freezers, a dog set on fire and a camel-punching man. So you might be surprised to learn that we are also in the middle of Be Kind to Animals Week.

If you'd like to focus on respect for animals instead of wallowing in all the recent animal cruelty, stop by this event promoting the humane treatment of animals this Saturday at the North Central Animal Care Center in Los Angeles.

L.A.-area politicians will be there, as will Cesar Millan, the so-called dog whisperer. You can also bring your dog or cat and get it spayed or neutered for free, which as readers have reminded us, is a good way to help prevent the influx of baby cats we're seeing now that it's kitten season.

For more information call (213) 485-8855 or (888) 452-7381

--Tony Barboza

Photo: Carlos Chavez/Los Angeles Times

Officer accused in Adelanto kitten drownings resigns

Adelanto’s head animal control officer has resigned as he faces charges in the drowning of nearly 50 kittens, the Associated Press reported today.

Kevin Murphy, 36, was placed on paid leave in March after prosecutors accused him of drowning the kittens over a four-month period. He faces six counts of animal cruelty.

City Manager Jim Hart on Tuesday said Murphy’s resignation was effective May 1. Murphy couldn’t be reached for comment.

Adelanto is about 70 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

--Francisco Vara-Orta

Dog is set on fire in Lancaster*

UPDATED AT 3:08 P.M.: The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved a reward of $5,000 to anyone who offers information leading to the conviction of whoever set a dog on fire in Lancaster on Monday night.

Anyone with information on the attack is urged to call the sheriff's Lancaster Station at (661) 948-8466.

-- Jean-Paul Renaud

10:47 A.M.: Investigators are searching for whoever set a dog on fire in Lancaster on Monday night.

Residents of the 300 block of East Lingard Street heard the pit bull mix yelping, then saw it running into the street, its fur ablaze, about 11:30 p.m., said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Ed Stewart.

One onlooker put a coat over the dog, extinguishing the flames, Stewart said. The dog was taken to a county animal shelter where it was being treated today for burns to its legs and back.

Stewart said the people responsible could face felony animal cruelty charges.

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske

Severed bear paws found in Riverside

Officials want to know how a pair of severed bear paws wound up in a Riverside neighborhood last weekend, the Press-Enterprise reports:

Police were called Saturday afternoon to a home off Clifton Boulevard, north of the Riverside Municipal Airport, where residents found the paws wrapped in a bag, according to a Riverside police report.

Bear poaching, in which bears are usually killed and sold for parts, is a statewide problem, officials said. Bears are sought for their paws and gallbladder, which are highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine, said Patrick Foy, a California game warden. The parts are often used in healing potions or as an aphrodisiac.

While hunting of California black bears is legal with a valid hunting license and bear tag, any sale of bear meat or bear parts for profit is considered a felony.

The state Department of Fish and Game is investigating.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

O.C. sheriff's investigation finds no evidence of cat Tasering

A necropsy found no evidence that Orange County sheriff's deputies at Theo Lacy Jail used a stun gun on a cat, the Times' Stuart Pfeifer reports:

Orange County sheriff's officials have found no evidence to prove that deputies used a Taser electric stun weapon on a stray cat at the Theo Lacy jail in Orange, a spokesman said today.

Last month, the department disclosed that it was investigating inmate reports that deputies had shocked a cat with a Taser and that the decomposed carcass of a cat was found on the jail grounds.

Two newly hired deputies who had been assigned to Theo Lacy were discharged from the department after the investigation began, but there was no indication that their termination was related to horseplay with the Taser.

Deputies Joseph E. Mirander and Duy X. Tran each ended their employment with the Sheriff's Department on April 17, county personnel records show. Both had been assigned to Theo Lacy.

The department has been under fire recently for its treatment of inmates and its use of Tasers.

Sheriff's Deputy Jason Chapluk testified to a grand jury in August that the "Tased and Confused" episode of the TV program "Cops," in which officers use Tasers on suspects, was a favorite for deputies to watch on the job at the jail.

--Tony Barboza

Sea lion killer manipulated traps

Investigators theorize that the killer of six sea lions on the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon arrived by boat and was familiar with trapping methods, closing the doors of two metal cages before firing a high-powered rifle at the animals within, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The sea lions' carcasses were found Sunday.

Wildlife agents had begun trapping sea lions last month to keep them from eating endangered chinook salmon.

The trapping has been suspended.

American Indian tribes protecting their fisheries and state governments representing commercial and sport fishermen had promoted the sea lion removal.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Photo: Don Ryan/AP

Animal rights group seeks probe of poultry firm

An animal protection organization is throwing back the curtains on the West Coast's largest distributor of eggs, releasing a hidden-camera video that shows chickens being mistreated by handlers and locked in cages so small the birds can't spread their wings, The Times' Eric Bailey reports:

The footage, shot covertly by an undercover investigator with the group Mercy for Animals, shows workers kicking and stomping on chickens and snapping the necks of sick hens. It also shows birds left with untreated wounds and crowded into cages, sometimes amid rotting corpses.

Officials with the animal protection group said the video was shot this year at Gemperle Enterprises, a Turlock farming outfit that supplies giant NuCal Foods Inc., the biggest supplier of eggs in the western United States.

The company's response?

[Steve] Gemperle said it was unclear whether the new footage truly was shot at one of his family's farms, but said the mistreatment violated his company's policies.

The video comes on the heels of an effort to get a measure on the November ballot to outlaw the kinds of cages that the chickens in the photo above are contained within.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Photo: Mercy for Animals

Man accused of punching a camel

Vallejo police arrested a Santa Rosa man who they say assaulted a camel Sunday at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Times-Herald in Vallejo reports:

Christopher Allen, 24, was dared by a friend to enter the restricted area where the animal was kept and punch it, police said.

He accepted the dare and was detained afterward by security personnel, but he soon escaped and tried to run from the park with his friends, police said.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Six sea lions apparently shot in traps

Six federally protected sea lions were apparently shot to death on the Columbia River in Oregon as they lay in open traps put out to ensnare the animals, which eat endangered salmon. State and federal authorities are investigating, Times staff reports.

The discovery came one day after three elephant seals were found shot to death at a breeding ground in Central California.

Trapping will be suspended during the investigation, said Rick Hargrave, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, who was at the scene Sunday.

The Associate Press offers more details:

     Oregon and Washington have been granted federal authorization to capture or kill up to 85 sea lions a year for five years at the base of the dam, where they feed on endangered salmon headed upriver to spawn.

     Fishermen and American Indian tribes have pushed to protect the salmon and remove the sea lions, by lethal force if necessary, forcing a delicate balancing act by the federal government.

     The Humane Society of the United States has gone to court to challenge the authorization, with another hearing set for May 8.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Photo: Don Ryan/AP

Three seals found shot dead on Central Coast

Three northern elephant seals were found shot dead Saturday morning at the Point Piedras Blancas elephant seal colony near San Simeon, Calif., the Times' David Pierson reports.

The three seals -- each about 1,000 pounds and between 2 and 5 years old -- were discovered shortly before 9 a.m. by a docent conducting a seal count on the beach. They had been shot in the back of the head.

"They were found in a pool of blood," said Leander Tamoria, supervising ranger at San Simeon State Park. "People come here to see the sights, and this is a sight no one wants to see."

Because the seals were so heavy, officials from the California Department of Fish & Game had to remove the animals' heads to investigate what kind of bullets were used, Tamoria said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Law Enforcement is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction, said Special Agent Roy Torres.

Anyone with information about the shootings should call Torres at (831) 647-2127, the Office of Law Enforcement hot line at (800) 853-1964 or California State Parks at (805) 927-2068.

Eliot Spitzer's legacy: no animal electrocution

Quiz: What was one of the last things New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer did before he resigned in disgrace, implicated in a prostitution ring? If you guessed "outlawed animal electrocution," you're right.

Spitzer in March signed into law a ban on the electrocution of animals in a particularly gruesome way to harvest their fur, making New York the first state in the nation to combat the practice, the Associated Press reports.

It looks like no one took notice until now. (Maybe the New York press had other things to cover).

The law bans the practice of anal and genital electrocution of fur-bearing animals, including mink, foxes, chinchillas and rabbits. The misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year in jail.

National animal rights advocates on Wednesday said they hope it will force similar measures in other states.

--Tony Barboza

Simi Valley man accused of fatally shooting his pitbulls

Police arrested a man Thursday in Simi Valley on suspicion of killing his pitbulls with a semiautomatic handgun, the Associated Press reports.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department website said 49-year-old Rafael Calderon Jr. remained in custody in a county jail Thursday after being arrested and booked for investigation of animal cruelty.

Calderon is eligible for release on $10,000 bail.

A Simi Valley police news release said officers investigated the deaths of the dogs in the backyard of a residence. They seized a firearm at the scene.

County Animal Control officials will perform a necropsy on the animals.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Man gets almost a year in jail for attacking kitten

A Santa Barbara man will spend nearly a year in jail for banging the head of his roommate’s kitten against a wall, the Associated Press reports.

Nicholas David Thompson pleaded no contest to a felony animal cruelty charge, and was sentenced Monday to 360 days in Santa Barbara County Jail.

Superior Court Judge Frank Ochoa also ordered the 21-year-old defendant to attend anger management classes for a year.

Thompson banged the head of the kitten, named Gigi, against a wall, tossed her into the shower and turned on the water. The roommate and his friend managed to rescue the kitten, and Gigi recovered, Deputy Dist. Atty. Kimberly Smith told the Santa Barbara News-Press.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Lawsuit filed over Matchbox 20's cancellation

When Matchbox 20 canceled a July 18 concert at Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyo., the pullout was announced by the animal rights group called SHARK, or Showing Animals Respect and Kindness. According to the Wyoming Business Report, Journal SHARK’s president admitted that he had provided the group with video purporting to show animal cruelty at last year’s Frontier Days Rodeo. Now, there's more fallout:

Yesterday, the booking agency for Frontier Days, Romeo Entertainment Group, filed suit in Cheyenne federal court against SHARK for using “false and misleading information” as well as “threats of negative publicity” in its effort to persuade entertainers to cancel their performances.

SHARK has its own take on current events: "Be prepared," the website says, "to see photos on this site taken by SHARK investigators that make the suffering all too clear."

-- Alice Short

O.C. man enters plea in MySpace animal abuse case

An Orange County man accused of taking a video of himself abusing rabbits and a dog pleaded not guilty Thursday to six misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, authorities said.

Joseph Anthony Deiss, 19, surrendered at the Fullerton Justice Center, where he was arraigned and released on $10,000 bail. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing May 8. Deiss, of Yorba Linda, is accused of throwing a pug and three rabbits 15 to 30 feet in the air and allowing them to hit the ground.

The charges were filed after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals saw a video of the incident on Deiss' MySpace page and showed it to authorities. None of the animals appeared to be injured.

Deiss, a part-time college student, later apologized and said he had bought the rabbits as food for his two pet boa constrictors.

Here's what Deiss told The Times about the video Wednesday:

"I just posted it and kind of forgot about it. I didn't even realize that anyone was watching."

"It wasn't meant to be intentionally cruel," he said. "I can see that it was somewhat bad, but nothing got hurt. . . . People feed their snakes all the time."

-- Tony Barboza

PETA wants Yorba Linda man prosecuted for cruelty

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is urging the Orange County district attorney's office to "vigorously" prosecute a man who took a video of himself abusing rabbits and a dog, then posted it on MySpace, Tony Barboza reports.

Joseph Anthony Deiss, 19, of Yorba Linda was charged last week with three counts of animal cruelty and three charges of animal abuse by a caretaker after allegedly throwing a pug and two rabbits 15 to 30 feet in the air and allowing them to hit the ground. The video was allegedly shot in Deiss' backyard in June 2007.

"They were a little dazed and confused, but it does not appear that any of the pets died as a result of this incident," said Farrah Emami, a district attorney's office spokeswoman, referring to the video.

PETA showed the video to authorities after discovering it last month, prompting investigations by Anaheim police and the district attorney's office.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Whistleblower fired

A University of Nevada, Reno, professor who complained about improper hiring practices and animal abuse at campus research farms has been fired and banned from university property. The Associated Press reports from Reno:

“I was fired ... and escorted from my office by campus police as if I were a criminal,” Hussein S. Hussein told the Reno Gazette-Journal for a story first reported Monday on the newspaper’s website. An internationally recognized animal nutritionist, Hussein said he was informed Friday of UNR President Milton Glick’s decision and told to turn in the key to his office at the agriculture college. Hussein said his dismissal was retaliation for his blowing the whistle on improper activities at UNR and he said he would fight it in court.

For the rest of the story, read after the jump.

Did O.C. deputies taser a cat to death?

The Orange County Sheriff's Department has been under fire recently for its treatment of jail inmates, including the death this month of a man who was Tasered in his Santa Ana jail cell.

But there is a new alleged victim: a cat.

The department is investigating a report that deputies used a Taser electric stun weapon on a cat at Theo Lacy jail, a department spokesman said today. A cat’s corpse was later found on the jail grounds in Orange.

The investigation comes one week after the release of grand jury transcripts that showed Theo Lacy deputies allowed inmates to discipline each other while guards watched television, played video games and exchanged cellphone text messages.

Sheriff’s officials were conducting a necropsy today to determine whether the dead cat was shocked with a Taser, said sheriff’s spokesman John McDonald. An unidentified person told sheriff’s officials that deputies used the Taser on the cat "a couple of weeks ago," McDonald said.

"We’ll know more this afternoon, after the necropsy is completed. This cat may not have had anything to do with the report," McDonald said. "This isn’t being taken lightly. This is a pretty serious matter."

-- Stuart Pfeifer

L.A. City Animal Services shuts down elephant circus show

A circus elephant act in Panorama City was shut down Thursday by Los Angeles city animal services, the LA Daily News reports.

The elephant act, contracted to appear with Circus Vazquez, was found to be violation of the City of Los Angeles' permit requirements.

The elephants, Tina, Jewel and Queenie, have a long history of abuse and neglect, all documented in official U.S. Department of Agriculture records, said Ed Boks, general manager of Animal Services.

Boks told the Daily News that when he contacted the USDA, he found out that the elephants’ owner, Will Davenport, acting under different names and business aliases in Arizona and Texas, had a history of numerous Animal Welfare Act violations.

"We commend L.A. Animal Services for taking action to prevent these abused elephants from being exploited in our city,” said Catherine Doyle, a campaign director for In Defense of Animals, which helped draft the city permit guidelines. “If only federal authorities would act as swiftly and decisively as the city has.”

Doyle told the L.A. Times she's calling for federal authorities to seize the elephants and return them to an animal sanctuary.

-Francisco Vara-Orta

Hedgehog used in attack on teenager

A man in New Zealand has been charged with using a hedgehog as a weapon, the New Zealand Herald has reported.

Police said William Singalargh, 27, hurled the hedgehog, similar to the one pictured here, at a 15-year-old boy.

"It hit the victim in the leg, causing a large, red welt and several puncture marks," Senior Sgt. Bruce Jenkins, in the North Island town of Whakatane, told the Herald.

It was unclear whether the hedgehog was still alive when it was thrown; it was dead when collected as evidence.

The police spokesman said the suspect was arrested "for assault with a weapon, namely the hedgehog."

Singalargh is due to appear in court next Thursday. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Photo: Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times