Charges Filed Friday by Prosecutor on Man for Beating Birthday Party Pony to Death with a Baseball Bat
August 7th, 2009 by Joe Burgess
Prosecuting attorney Thomas Deen Friday filed formal charges against Benjamin Briney for aggravated cruelty to animals in the Drew County Circuit Court.
Briney is believed to be the first person in Arkansas to be charged with the newly revised law, intended to add more severe penalties to persons who are cruel to dogs, cats, and horses.
Deen also said in an interview that the owner of the horse will not be charged in the horse’s death, since the owner instructed Briney to “put it down”, which implies using a humane method of killing the animal. “The owner did not intend for Briney to torture the animal in any way,” according to Deen.
Reports indicate the there were more strikes delivered to the animal than were originally believed.
Briney’s bond is set at $25,000
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Posted August 5, 2009
According to Drew County Sheriff Mark Gober, Benjamin Briney, age 20 of Monticello, has been arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, after he allegedly beat a Shetland pony to death with a baseball bat, early Saturday.
The small horse had been loaned to a family in the Countryview Road area, to be used for children to ride and play with at a child’s birthday party in mid-July. The horse had remained at the family’s residence since that time, and had appearantly been attacked by other animals, who caused injury to the horse’s ears.
A veternarian had been called to see the pony, and had given it shots, and left ointment to be used to treat it’s ears. Actually, Briney had helped care for the pony during the process. The vet still was not sure if the pony’s ears would have to be amputated.
The owner of the horse, Peggy Trantham, told Briney to “get rid of” the horse. When he returned, Trantham told authorities that Briney told her that he had killed it by beating it in the head with a baseball bat.
The investigation will continue to determine if the owner will face charges for any potential involvment in the case.
The sheriff’s dept. was told about the incident by a concerned citizen.
An Arkansas law had just gone into effect prohibiting “aggravated animal cruelty” , and making the crime a class D felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and up to a $5,000 fine, according to Sheriff Gober.
Briney is incarcerated at the Drew County Detention Facility, and is being held on a $25,000 bond, which was set by District Judge Ken Harper.
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This is horrible. I see a lot of what I consider animal cruelty here, especially to dogs. I and am in full support of laws and enforcement to prevent this.
I will think of Mr Briney every time I wipe my nose or flush the commode. What a wonderful story to start the day with. (Not your fault, Joe.)
Remember the old saying, “an eye for an eye”??
“Blessed are the merciful for they will obtain mercy” feel sorry for this guy.
This is absolutely horrible. This person should be locked up for 10 years. The owner of this horse should also be punished. If this pony was not in a condition to recover, the owner should have taken this horse to the vet and had it humanely euthanized. There is no reason that one of God’s creatures had to be treated the way it was. The judicial system has a responsibility to punish not only Mr. Briney but also the owner of this animal, Peggy Trantham. She is just as responsible for what happened to this animal as Briney is.
There is no punishment harsh enough for this man!!!! He has to be one dispicable human being. I agree with the comment of Andy C-“an eye for an eye”. I am sure that will be people standing in line for that opportunity.
I understand everyone being appalled at what Mr. Briney did as am I. Has anyone thought about the part that the owner of the pony played in this? Telling someone to “get rid of” anything is just wrong. I hope she is punished as well!
I’m certainly not going to feel sorry the guy. He’s an idiot! A vicious idiot, perhaps, but an idiot none the less. I hope they prosecute him to the full extent that the law allows. And the owner of the horse as well.
I have to say, it’s about time we saw a decent punishment for the crime and hats off to Arkansas for strengthening it’s animal cruelty laws. To know that this vicious idiot may do a decent amount time and remains in jail as we speak goes a long way to believing that perhaps justice can be served.
I hope while he is in jail, someone beats him with a baseball bat!
A person who is cruel to an animail will has no heart or soul and is capable of anything. There is no punishment servere enough for this lousy excuse of a human being. GET A ROPE!
What a jerk. Animal cruelty is a crime that deserves the fullest extent of the law. That poor, helpless horse could not defend itself against a man. I hope he does get ten years under the new law. He deserves it for behaving like a monster. Horses and all domesticated animals trust their owners and caregivers. It is never “okay” to behave like that. If the horse was so ill that it couldn’t live a healthy life, then it should have been taken to a large animal vet and taken care of properly. It is not up to some local yokel to kill an innocent animal just because it’s ears are bad! Wow.
I think they both should be beaten with a baseball bat a few times.
Actually, Cher, I don’t really feel sorry for this cruel excuse for a human being either. I feel sorry for the poor horse who was the victim of his vicious act! Actually what I was referring to had more to do with what Andy C. said about “an eye for an eye” or Divine Retribution. This poor guy will likely live to regret this despicable act!
I continue to fail to understand the throw-away mentality that has become so rampant these days. Where is the mercy for the numerous animals that are brought into this world, then used, abused, abandoned, and killed just because it’s more convenient to do so? Whether you feel that animals have a soul or not, they are living beings that have a heartbeat and breathe the air just as we do. Take responsibility for your actions. Don’t bring animals into this world just to throw them away!
This is just sick. I would love to take a baseball bat to his head and the owners as well. If anyone deserves to go to jail it is them. What kind of person beats an animal? I’ll tell you, a sick cowardly excuse for a human being does that. If he could do that to an animal imagine what he is capable of, perhaps taking a human life. He is worse than that Vick guy. I hope the judge throws the book at the both of them and throws away the key.
I would like to know who they had borrowed the pony from
All I know is he should have done it a better way to get the horse out of his missery, but to punish a man with prision time is just crazey and all the people that think so is crazey. Get a life when the animal is dead he’s dead. There is no heaven for horses or dogs. There should be a fine but taking our tax dollars to take care of a man for 10 years in prision is just crazey for killing any kind of animial. All the self righteous (PETA) people need to think about that the next time the kill a snake or some other defenseless animal.
If the vet had been called once to look at the pony’s ears and prescribe treatment, it would have been just as easy to call that same vet to come to their pasture and put the horse down humanely. He would also know how to disposed of the body properly.
I’ve always believed that a fundamental element of” humanness” was absent in people who abuse and mistreat animals. That includes those who abandon and dump animals, as well as those who fight animals. I believe they’re without the ability to feel compassion and empathy for any living thing. These two people fit the bill and need to be punished without compassion and empathy.
I don’t understand how a human being can hurt an animal. I see animal cruelty everywhere and I have called the police so many times on stupid people. A $5000 fine and up to 10 years is not enough punishment.
If you can’t take care of your freaking animals, then don’t bring them home!
TALK, TALK, TALK, that seems all we do about the abuse of children and animals. As far as the law, there have been many times when a bill would be introduced to stiffen penalties for animal abuse. And the idiots and farm organizations, teamed up to defeat them. A few of the things I have observed since I moved here 7 years ago. Dogs and cats that never get neutered, the man I watched nearly run his car in the ditch, trying to run over a cat that crossed the road. The dogs that never get off a ten foot chain, and all of this is caused by otherwise decent people. I believe our higher power (God), put these creatures on earth to use, care for, protect, and enjoy. Not to be beaten to death by a “GOON”, who by his actions, proves that he is actually beneath the very animal he beat to death. If this state would jump into the 21st century, that man and the owner would be doing “hard time”.
Unknown, don’t you think this person knew better? If you are going to put an animal down (humanely) either call a vet or at the least a single shot to the head (messy and disposal issues) This person evidently found this an opportune time to inflict pain and aggression out on an animal. Perhaps this person may be thinking how good it might feel to do this to a higher life form, human. PETA has nothing to do with this. And as for my beliefs, I eat meat. Love a nice fur coat. However, I believe that people that harm animals are only one step up from the big leagues. After all the majority of sociopaths get there start harming animals.
Unknown, this is not about PETA. I doubt they even know what is going on in little old Monticello. Countless acts of animal cruelty go on in this small area daily, and people are rarely held accountable for their actions. This new law, forcing a punishiment of up to ten years upon the criminal whom is guilty of animal cruelty is just and is a correct use of our tax dollars. Many other states have had stiffer animal cruelty laws on the books for years. Arkansas, as per the norm, is behind on the times. The law was placed into effect based on the overaccumulation of animal cruelty acts from chicken/dog fighting, animal dumping, animal overcrowding in homes and various other animal abuse acts out of hatred. So some one to take advantage of a helpless horse in such a manor, shows a huge lack of moral character in that person. That horse had a heart too, and if it was his time to go, it should have been up to the vet, not the ignorant man with a bat.
thisperson is horrible i hope a child is never left with him makes me wonder what he would do to an innocent child and 2500.00 bond come on!!! give him the max we do not people like this in our community ship him out
This man, as well as the owner of the pony, should be arrested as well as fined for this cruel vicious act! Who in their right mind, would be so cruel as to do something like that to one of God’s creatures! He must be one cold-hearted crazy person! I feel so sorry for the poor pony.. he had no way to protect himself from this crazy man.. can you just close your eyes for one minute and just imagine how much that poor creature hurt and cried with every hit from that bat!! I hope and pray that both of them are put so far under that they’ll have to pipe sunshine to them!!! There was no reason why she couldn’t have called the vet to do it humanely.. Maybe they’ll both go to prison and somebody will have a baseball bat waiting for them!!!
Where was the birthday child? I sure hope he/she did not see this.
If someone could do this to an animal, I would hate to know what they could do to a human!!
I have stayed angry over this all day! This poor excuse for a human who killed the pony as well as the owner deserve the same punishment. I am sure that there were people including myself who would have taken this poor animal and treated it, as well as having it euthanized if necessary in a humane manner. And to “Unknown”, this man deserves a lengthy prison sentence, and I certainly do not mind spending my tax dollars to see him rot in prison. If someone took a baseball bat to your head, I am sure you would want to see that man brought to justice.
Putting a horse down at a vet is not always human, a well placed bullet is the best way. Dispose of the animal properly. This is outrageous, someone beating a horse to death, they need help, seriously. And that lady that owned it should never have critters, or the man that done the beating.
well I am giad to know that theyn are pepple out there the freel the same way that i do.a month ago some dog got in the pen and chase my donkys out of the fence,the donkys went east onthe road I was at work when i got a call from the so i went home at once when got home the donkys had been shot in the but had too call the cost about 500.0 on one would take for the shoting but the donkys is ok now but the one that shot the donkys eill never forget that sin.god put then hear and and did not want them shot
This makes me sick to my stomach.
I suggest turning this punk (and owner who told him to “get rid of it”) into a couple of piñatas! Only then would they feel the pain the pony felt……..
unknown you are a raving lunatic! you think this man (if you want to call him that) did nothing wrong? i am outraged with your comment! this man should be severley punished- i agree with an eye for and eye or worse. that animal was defenseless. you are the one that is “crazey”. and by the way- it’s spelled crazy.
i agree with andy c. but dont agree with unknown, he got to be a friend of the killer. if he can kill a animal, think what he can do to a kid, or a old person. he need a bat on his head! how do u know it no heaven for animal? maybe no heaven for u.
I agree with Lauren, Unknown, there are right ways to put animals down. Even in the old days when a horse was no longer useful they shot it in the head. Not beat it with a baseball bat. My God, what kind of person could honestly do that to a defenseless animal. Its like he wanted to watch it be in pain. Yes, people kill animals all the time, for hunting and fishing, to consume food. This was just a plain act of cruelty, no matter how you put it. And yes he deserves to be punished because he had the choice of how to take care of the matter. If he had already had a vet out, he knew to call them again. Makes you wonder what he would do to a child.
Things just dont stop here in monticello… seems they dont have nothin better to do…..
I can’t believe that a human being would do this to a poor animal! It is an outrage! Apparently, those involved need to have the same treatment and see how they feel! This is a living creature! There is no excuse! People can be so cruel. I hope that he gets what he deserves!
there is no excuse for killing an innocent animal in that matter. I love the idea of making a pinata out of the killer and the owner. I am sure that there are many people in Monticello who would love to take a whack.
Has anyone ever thought about the owner may not have realized the man was going to get rid of the donkey by beating it? How many people have asked for someone to get rid of an ailing animal for them? I personally would send it to the vet but I know of many people who get rid of animals by shooting them. (maybe the owner thought the same thing) Just a thought.
10 years in prison and $5,000 fine????????? There needs to be a lot more to protect animals. That is DEFINITELY not enough for this sort of horrible crime.
that is a horriable thing to do to an animal. I wonder how he would like it if some baseball batted him til he fell dead. God puts the animals here just like he does everything else. we are all God’s creatures & animals deserve to be treated good. not beaten to death. that poor horse suffered in agony as it was dying. I think the new law is a good thing to help protect animals.
I do not know either of these people, for which I am thankful, but have to wonder if he is mentally campetent. Is he someone who would do something like this to try to please the owner? Just wondering. In my opinion the owner should be held as responsible if not more so for this. She took the easy way out by telling someone else to do what she should have had a vet do just so she wouldn’t have to pay the Vet bill. Shame on both of them. I wonder if either of them feels any remorse. May God have mercy on them because right now I can not feel any for either of them.
From what I understand the Pony was suffering from the injuries it received from the animal bits. The owner asked this guy to put the animal out of its misery and he did. I understand he may have went by it the wrong way, he should have just shot the animal in the head, but the animal is no longer suffering.
To put this guy behind bars for 10yrs. for killing an animal is “cruel and unusual punishment. It was just a pony. You all are too sensitive.
To unknown, read the Bible both old and new testament. Somewhere in the old testament not exactly sure where, but the prophet Ezecial (horrible spelling there) was taken to Heaven by a chariot pulled by two horses. The horses and chariot came down from Heaven and went back to Heaven. In the new testament, Jesus is to return on the back of a white horse. That tells me that horses go to Heaven. Plain and simple to understand that. And PETA is nothing but a bunch of killers. They destoryed several dogs from my state while saying something else. Thankfully they were caught and recieved a punishment, not what they deserved though. Someone that would be cruel such as the man and woman were in this story need to be punished for their actions so that it is a warning to others who may be thinking of doing the same thing or something similiar. That is the purpose of punishment. A warning not to do it again and a warning to others. Just my two cents….
I’m appalled at the comments that have been posted thus far.
It’s amazing that people are reacting this way over an animal! It seems in our society that people are getting really close to putting an animal’s life above that of a human. I’m sorry but I feel that a human life should be valued above that of an animal. Yes, God did create all things, but in the Bible He gave Adam dominion over all things too.
Maybe Briney shouldn’t have disposed of the animal by using a bat, but even if he’d used a gun…the result would be the same. THE HORSE WOULD STILL BE DEAD!!! If a snake crawls into my yard, he’s good as dead.
It’s also quite possible that Briney didn’t have gun. Has anyone stopped to think about that? Now, he’s going to be put among real murderers, thieves, robbers, etc., at 20 yrs old and taught how to become a REAL criminal? Truly a waste of tax dollars–especially in our current economic situation.
I wonder what all of the so-called animal lovers are going to do when our state and others begin releasing prisoners b/c states can no longer afford to care for them? The focus should be on rehabilitating offenders.
I’m praying for both Briney and Trantham because I’m sure that they’ll need it. We all have lapses in judgment & they need support & forgiveness just like any other person(s).
unknown Aug 6th, 2009 at 11:09 am – I agree with you.
Both the cruel, ignorant killer and the pony’s ignorant, idiot owner should be held accountable for this horrendous act of violence and abuse.
It hearts my heart and soul to think of the pain this poor pony endured on its untimely journey to death. Ears, particularly those of horses, are extremely sensitive. This dear little “birthday” pony gives its all to entertain little kids; then is abandoned where it is attacked by animals (probably some clueless moron’s dogs) and sustains severe ear and leg injuries.
THEN it is beaten to death with a baseball bat, which means repeated blows to the head – on those already excruciatingly painful, torn ears. I am OUTRAGED. I am LIVID. Who, in their right mind, can inflict such pain and suffering and outright cruelty?
Sadly, savages like the wastes of oxygen involved in this brutal killing exist everywhere. Incidents such as this will continue to happen until stricter laws are passed AND ENFORCED. Laws are worthless if the lawbreakers aren’t held accountable.
In the words of Mahatma Gandhi:
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treatedâ€
RIP little pony.
Ah, Renee, so you see no difference between beating a life to death vs. death via gunshot? It’s all the same to you? Dear God, that makes me cringe.
“Maybe” Mr. 20-yr-old punk kid “didn’t have a gun”? That makes deadly use of a baseball to bludgeon a life to death okay? Where is your humanity? Where is your common sense?
So, go ahead and say your prayers for the killer and the ignoramus pony owner who sent this dear, sweet pony to its untimely, brutal death. I hope they’re going to need those prayers rather than be allowed to skate out of this “because it was *only* an animal”. Next time, unstable minds such as those of the perpetrators of this crime might target someone’s kid.
This is NOT a matter of putting a human’s life above those of an animal. It’s about justice and helping stop further abuse, of both animals and humans. But some people just don’t/won’t understand that, and never will.
BTW, for those advocating euthanasia by firearm, it’s not as simple as just shooting the animal in the head, particularly when it concerns equines. It must be done in a precise manner (location, trajectory, etc.). If done incorrectly, the result is pretty horrendous.
Bottom line in this story is that the owner should have called upon the vet to administer a humane euthanasia, either by injection or correctly-placed gunshot. Anything less is just plain irresponsible and downright cruel abuse.
GOOD GRIEF!
What I don’t get is that if the owner had already had the vet out for the pony, and the vet had administered shots and left a salve for the pony’s ears, then (s)he clearly thought that the pony had a chance. Or else (s)he would have recommended euthanasia. And if the owner thought that she did not want to see the pony suffer through its injuries (or whatever her reasoning was for “getting rid of it”) then why wouldn’t she have just had the vet put it down right then and there!
renee you’re just as ridiculous as unknown. and just so you know, this is not the first horrible crime that briney preformed in this community. he needs to be out of here!
and i agree with everyone else saying that the owner should be held accountable as well.
Briney was told to get rid of the animal, He was not told to kill the animal that was his choice. Has anyone ever considered his intellectual level. I am almost certain that he is incompetent to stand trial.
I suspect that the reason she did not call the vet for humane euthanasia was because the injuries were not life threatening. Apparently, this POS loaned the pony to a family for a birthday party and never returned to pick it up, until it got injured. Then she did not want to deal with having to put ointment on the critter’s ear. I hope both she and the 20 y/o thug get prosecuted to the fullest extent of this new law!
I get so tired of the “one or the other” non-argument that invariably erupts in any discussion on animal cruelty. That is, “if you are outraged about animal cruelty, then you don’t care about humans”. How absurd! That’s like saying if you support cancer research, then you value cancer patients more than heart patients or diabetics!
Unknown and Renee, if you have such a complete lack of empathy for animals, because you feel it is essential for loving mankind, just remember: Cruelty to animals is often a precursor to violence against humans. To allow animal cruelty to occur without consenquences diminishes our humanity and enables the most base among us to progress to violence against humans.
I agree with Lucas and some of the other people. Only a bunch of animal loveing nuts would pick an animal over human life. just because they said he beat the horse to doesn’t mean he was beaten repeatedly. He may have just hit the horse one time. What if you kid, bother , father made a dumb mistake like this would you feel the same No and don’t lie and say yes. Just because you kill an animal doesn’t mean that you are going to be a serial killer. Show me one boy that has never killed a defenseless animal and I will apologize for all my remarks. I am sorry but it is crazEy liberal people like yourself that got this country screwed up!!!!
two cents I believe that the bible say no flesh and blood shall enter into heaven, so unless your animals have souls an ask jesus Christ to save them I don’t believe animals will be in heaven crapping on the streets of gold. let me say this the guy should recieve some punishment but when you put an animals life over a humans that is not logical. If this man does have kids you his children do go with out a father for killing an animal. If people think this than they are as cruel as he his.
I am so sick & tired of hearing Jesus quoted as an excuse for cruelty, stupidity and just plain meanness! If there are no animals in heaven, I sure don’t want to go there.
Sounds to me like this guy has been tried and convicted before the facts have been presented. I don’t know what happened in this case and I doubt many people do but it sounds like a good old fashion lynch mob in the making here.
Okay….it is easy to go after the gentlman that actually “took care” of the animal. In my opinion, the OWNER should have taken care of doing it themselves…..by putting the animal down via a vetenarian……let’s hold the OWNER responsible for more than it seems we are.
I would be willing to say this young man has a low IQ, no remorse, no conscious, no empathy for anyone or thing. To people that have this it is very hard to understand how someone could not. A simple command telling him to get rid of it, probably in his mind is to kill it the best way he knows how. This by no means makes it right.
Like someone else said, this is not the first CRIME this man has committed, and bottom line, I don’t think having compassion and feelings for animals in no way puts that animals life above a humans. I don’t think God would by any means want us to beat a pony to death.
NO one should ever be abused not even an animal. UGH…this just makes me SICK!! If there was a death penalty, people in favor of abusing animals should get it!!
Someone should take him out and beat him in the head. There are more humane ways to kill an animal!
Unknown: First things first-LEARN GRAMMAR! It might help if you calm down before you type. Maybe then you will make some sense. Why throw GOD into something like this. It is a case of animal cruelty. Just because these two people should be punished does not mean someone is choosing animal life over human life.
Your “killing a defenseless animal” remark must refer to hunting. There is a big difference in killing an animal to “get rid of it” and doing so to feed your family. You speak of this like we have another “iceman” running around. If you don’t know who that is, I am sure your handy dandy GOOGLE search engine will help you.
I am not a liberal (sorry), and this is a GREAT country you are living in! Think of that when you have clean running water to bathe in, plenty of food on your table, clean streets, and a nice quiet place to rest your head! I hope this message leaves you feeling like you have mud on your face, and the hopes of taking a few english lessons.
Sincerely,
your animal lover
To “Mr. Unknown”, I will be glad to show someone as uneducated as you several people who have never killed or blugeoned to death an innocent animal. I believe that you and “Renee” have no regard for life in general. If the perpetrator has children, then maybe they will be better off if he is in jail instead of having the opportunity to do the same to them. If I am “crazy and liberal”, simply because I value human life, then so be it. And I would be very careful using scripture to validate your points. God may not approve of using His Word to justify such a horrible act.
This man should be given the maximum punishment under the law (which probably still isn’t harsh enough.) How could a person do that to a helpless animal?
To “unknown”: I don’t care what you believe about souls or God or whatnot. The fact is that animals feel pain and terror just as much as people do. People who don’t care about inflicting pain are sick and disturbed, no matter whether they are inflicting that pain on an animal or human.
I find it very disturbing that you think all young boys kill helpless animals. Open your eyes a little. Just because that’s what YOU may have experienced/done, does not mean that EVERYONE does that.
Believe it or not, many young boys understand what pain and cruelty is and show compassion towards other creatures.
I want to know where in the article it said that they are going to kill the man?
What are you people talking about “pick[ing] an animal over human life.”??
I don’t think anyone is saying the man should be killed for killing the pony. They’re just saying since he committed a crime, he should have to pay for it.
Ie, go to jail, pay a fine. It’s not okay that he killed an animal like that. It’s one thing to kill it quickly, and so it doesn’t feel pain. It’s another to beat it’s brains out (literally), as it dies a slow and extremely painful and terrifying death.
It makes me really sad and disconcerted when people have no compassion for a living life, even if it’s “just an animal”.
Dianah11 – Maybe you should try actually reading the story so that you do know the facts. That way when you put forth your sweeping generalizations of “lynch mob” mentality, you might actually have a leg to stand on. The facts are plentiful and rather simple to comprehend so I’m sure you can struggle through them if you put some effort into them. But just in case, let me present them to you as simply as I can:
Horse gets sick. Owner doesn’t want to pay vet bill. Owner tells stupid cretin to get rid of horse. Stupid cretin takes a baseball and smashes it into horse’s head. Stupid cretin brags about it and gets caught. End of story. No lynch mob, just simple justice.
You know, it really truly frightens me that there are people walking on this planet who actually believe some of the things I see written above. This story is so not about putting a animal’s life before a human. There is no human life in peril here. This is about cruel stupid people who get a thrill from killing a defenseless animal and the responsibility of pet owner to treat their animal’s humanely.
Unfortunately, it is now also about cruel stupid people who get a thrill from supporting other cruel stupid people who kill defenseless animals.
Very scary indeed.
Why are “Unknown” and “Renee” defending the brainless wonder who beat a pony to death? Just such an attitude is why we had to have a law to punish such vile acts. Punishing an idiot who would bash a pony’s brains out with a baseball bat is not putting an animal over a human. Anybody’d who’d do that is not quite human and society needs to be protected from him. Also, “Unknown” says all kids kill animals. Excuuuse me? What kind of people does “Unknown” befriend? A child who enjoys the agonized screams of an animal in pain has a major problem, and an adult who doesn’t teach a child that it’s wrong and try to instill some sympathy for a helpless animal is a very poor parent, indeed.
I was raised on a farm and my brothers and father were all hunters. We had horses, dogs, cats, cows, chickens…all the usual farm animals. Never, ever, EVER were we allowed to mistreat animals. We had to stay in the house while Daddy killed the hogs for butchering. Sometimes he’d leave the house, head to the pen with his 22 and come back to psych himself up for the dreaded task. It was necessary to feed the family, but there was no joy in it. If the men shot a deer and didn’t kill it outright, they would track and trail it. It bothered them that it might be out there somewhere hurt.
As for the owner…I happen to know the brain bashing idiot who did this. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that there’s something missing upstairs. I wouldn’t leave a frog in his care, much less anything of a higher species. What did she think was going to happen when she told him to “get rid of it?” It was her duty to see that it was humanely put down, or was she afraid that a decent vet would refuse to kill an animal that just needed a little TLC. Somebody in this county would have taken the pony and given it a good home.
Let’s put this character away before he combines his love of oozing brain matter with his mistreatment of humans.
As for “Unknown” saying I’d feel differently if it was my son, husband or father who had done this…I tell you how I’d feel. I wouldn’t sleep a wink with him in the house… I’d be scared to death of what he’d do next.
OK, I think the owner needs to be investigated a little more… who gives a pony to a 20 year old to be put down???
I am glad to hear that he will be tried under these harsher laws for abuse that Arkansas just put into act. Animal cruelty like this really needs to be punished. If he could do this to an animal, what says he couldn’t do it to a person too? Killing and torturing animals in horrible ways like this is a proven stepping stone to abuse and killing humans.
Hope to hear the update soon.
One writer said basically that everyone was jumping the gun, convicting the brain basher before all the facts were in. According to the Democrat/Gazette, he got caught because he told someone what he’d done. This person checked, and sure enough, there was the pony. I guess he didn’t have sense enough to know that most of society would be appalled, not impressed with his physical prowess. And never occurred to him that it was illegal. After all, it was “only a little pony that rode little kids around”….nothing important. Still say the owner shares a huge responsibility in this…
Unknown one, I can give you a list of many boys and men that have never killed an animal ever. I can give you a list of numerous serial killers that always killed animals in violent ways before moving up the food chain, but killers aside, this was a senseless act. Renee, Adam had nothing to do with it nor did God. After all humans were last, animals came first. So your God must have loved them just as much as his humans. Dominion perhaps but what I have read in the past, no where does it say “beat the pony’s brains out”. For the “Liberal” comment, they have not ruined life for you or anyone. Last I checked a Democrat was running the government right after a Republican left it in shambles. Oh and by the way, I am a REPUBLICAN!
Is the guy that did this being executed? Where are you getting choosing an animal over a human? This makes me sick at my stomach. If someone can slowly beat an animal to death what else could he kill. As far as I’m concerned the owner should have some liability. Why not just put it to sleep. She knew she was asking for the animal to be killed.
RENEE , LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, BRINEY ‘S NOT MUCH OF A HUMAN TO HAVE DID WHAT HE DID, I GUESS YOU DONT HAVE A HEART THO. PPL LIKE YOU MAKE ME SICK…
AMEN MARIE….WELL SAID….
WELL IM A ANIMAL LOVER, SOOOOOOOOOOOOO GUESS IM NUTS,YOU PPL MAKE ME SICK.
I LOVE YOU FOR MY BROTHER
Looking at the comments shows me how savage we really are. There is no secret that the man that beat the horse to death should be punished. As to the severity, ony God will determine that at the great white thrown judgment. The thing that really bothers me is how quickly we will jump up and say “An eye for an eye”. Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek. If we choose to deal with him in the same manner as this man disposed of the horse then we are no better than he was. We need to pray for people like that and let the law prevail and in the end let God judge him. We have already tried and convicted him by our words and due process will not enter in. We don’t need to create a lynch mob to go get him, or become vigilanties to seek out and defend the horse that has already been put down (even though it was horrific). As concerned citizens we have done almost all we can do by letting those who read these posts and have an opportunity to implement stiffer penalties under the law, understand the magnitude of this situation and how strongly we feel about the atrocity that was commited. I agree that this crime takes the cake, however we can’t sit at the moral judgment seat of man; that is God’s job. All we can do is spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, and restore someone in the spirit of meekness after he has fallen from grace. God’s mercies are for us all. God bless each of you.
Minister’s comment is well stated. This has gotten ridiculous.
As usually happens, when an event happens that brings out as much emotion as this topic does, around the time that the comments reach the 60 point, there tends to be a lot of repetition, and the “conversation” turns away from the original topic, and seems to focus more on other comments.
I thank everyone for their opinions, and will be closing this comment section down.
If there are further developments, the section will likely be re-opened at a later time.
Thanks again.
Joe Burgess,
MonticelloLive.com