Please ensure abuser is sentenced to the fullest extent of the law

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BACKGROUND

On February 6, 2014, Carlos Efrain Duarte, 41, was arrested for “allegedly” strapping fireworks to a dog and leaving him to die on a street in North Hollywood in July 2013. According to a press release from the Los Angeles Police Department, Duarte has been charged with one count of felony animal cruelty in connection with the incident.

Indy, a 3-year-old pit bull, was found, abandoned and left for dead, on July 5, 2013. Someone had strapped fireworks to his body and lit them on fire, a deliberate and brutal act of incredible cruelty. He had third-degree burns on his rear legs, his paws and part of his thorax – some of the burns were so severe that his bones were exposed. The doctor who treated Indy, Daniel Slaton, DVM, advised news outlets that he has treated many animal with Fourth of July-related injuries, but none were as extreme as those Indy suffered. Fortunately, after several surgeries and skin grafts, Indy fully recovered from his injuries, and he was adopted by a worker at the animal hospital where he received treatment.

Equally fortunate, the police continued to investigate the incident in an attempt to find Indy’s abuser.

Back in July, a witness reported seeing a man pulling a severely injured dog from the bed of his truck and leaving him in an alley. Police were able to track down the truck using surveillance video, and the witness was also able to positively identify Duarte as the man who dumped Indy.

Duarte is due in court on Feb. 20, 2014 on one count of felony animal cruelty. He is also being held on an immigration hold.

Please reach out to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office and encourage them to prosecute Duarte to the fullest extent of the law. Duarte planned and carried out an act so egregious that no plea bargain should be offered to him.

For Indy, and for all the victims of heartless “humans” who find amusement in the suffering of animals, we must take a stand against those who purposely torture and cause immense pain to innocent animals in order to deter these things from happening in the future.

Please help ensure that justice prevails, and Indy’s abuser is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Ask the L.A. County District Attorney to send a loud and clear message that animal cruelty and abuse will not and cannot be tolerated in a civil society.

WHOM TO CONTACT

District Attorney’s Office
County of Los Angeles
Telephone 213-974-3512
Fax 213-974-1484

webmail@da.lacounty.gov

Click HERE for free faxing from your computer.  No fax machine, credit card, or registering required. Please be certain to confirm you message by clicking on the link sent to your email address or else your fax will not be sent

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear District Attorney,

I have learned of an extremely disturbing and malicious case of animal cruelty in which a  Mr. Carlos Efrain Duarte deliberately caused the suffering of a dog named Indy by strapping and setting firecrackers off on Indy’s body.  Indy suffered third degree burns on his rear legs, his paws, and part of his thorax – some of the burns were so severe that his bones were exposed. This alleged incident occurred in North Hollywood in July 2013.

I am requesting that you help maintain that justice prevails, by charging Indy’s abuser, and ensuring he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

When I try to imagine what possible motive animal abusers entertain for subjecting their animal victims to such malicious, heinous acts of brutality, I fail, but I am thankful for a lack of cognitive understanding and rationalization. To engage in such malevolent behaviour absolutely suggests sociopathic and sadistic tendencies and demonstrates an incontrovertible lack of morality regarding other living beings and a gross disrespect for the law. In fact, a person who shows such a remarkable lack of compassion towards animals has, disturbingly enough, the ability to show such indifference towards humans. This link between animal and human abuse has been established, and if we excuse or ignore Indy’s violent suffering, we would be serving an injustice to both animals and society.

Please respect the victims by penalizing the guilty and demonstrate your commitment to justice, responsibility, and integrity, attributes unquestionably necessary in an law enforcement setting: rejecting cruelty by maintaining an unyielding position towards it would be a model for all community members and would serve to characterize this type of behaviour as both impermissible and punishable.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent appeal.

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when there is no sense of right or wrong,
the only deterrent is punishment
harsh and strong.
to send a message loud and clear,
ANIMAL ABUSE WILL NOT BE
TOLERATED HERE!

Karen Lyons Kalmenson