Crow
March 20th 2007, 10:08 AM
Authorities locate ’cat lady’ suspected of killing 650 animals
By Rita Price
The Columbus Dispatch
Friday, March 16, 2007 3:20 PM
Investigators say that a woman who confessed to killing 650 cats and dogs is expected to return to Columbus to face criminal charges on Monday.
Maureen McLaughlin, 56, apparently had checked herself into a mental-health facility in the Mansfield area by the time authorities went to her North Side apartment on Wednesday, Assistant City Prosecutor Bill Hedrick said.
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/news-story.php?story=253394
I'm not a person who puts human life and pet life on the same level, I eat animals, and I have no problem with euthanizing sick animals. However, I believe that human beings have a moral obligation to deal with animals humanely and with people honestly and this including not receiving animals under false pretenses of rescuing them and not drowning them.
I lived on a farm. My father and I slaughtered animals for food. In every instance it was done quickly and in a manner to prevent pain. We beheaded chickens quickly to kill them. We didn't drown them. My father taught me that it is downright evil to cause unnecessary pain when one slaughters animals for food on a working farm, and he did not tolerate mistreatment of any animal we raised, including those raised for food.
One of the sad facts of overbreeding pet animals is that there are not enough homes for all that are born. Irresponsible people don't spay or neuter their animals, nor exercise the simple non-surgical means of confinement or even a leash. Until this happens, there will be animals that will be killed for lack of homes. There are humane ways to do this--euthanasia by overdose of an injection which causes them to lose consciousness painlessly and die. Euthanizing animals that cannot be placed is not an ideal choice, but it is a humane way to deal with a problem that exists and isn't going away soon.
Some people are pointing to this woman's bipolar disorder as a mitigating circumstance. I don't buy it. A very close family member of mine is bipolar. She goes through the swings, and acts impulsively at times. She does not torture animals, nor does any other bipolar person I have known. Bipolar disorder affects millions of people who do not torture animals by drowning them, and I resent seeing them indirectly slandered by the implication that bipolar disease causes such behavior. Bipolar disorder does not cause people to cease to be decent human beings.
This stuff makes me go into a slow burn. Sorry for the rant, but this gets to me. Yeah, God gave us dominion over the animals. It comes with a responsibility--to behave humanely, and not like sadists. I am just glad I don't have to deal with this woman personally. I don't know how well I could do so. Drowing animals instead of humanely euthanizing them is cruel beyond excuse.
By Rita Price
The Columbus Dispatch
Friday, March 16, 2007 3:20 PM
Investigators say that a woman who confessed to killing 650 cats and dogs is expected to return to Columbus to face criminal charges on Monday.
Maureen McLaughlin, 56, apparently had checked herself into a mental-health facility in the Mansfield area by the time authorities went to her North Side apartment on Wednesday, Assistant City Prosecutor Bill Hedrick said.
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/news-story.php?story=253394
I'm not a person who puts human life and pet life on the same level, I eat animals, and I have no problem with euthanizing sick animals. However, I believe that human beings have a moral obligation to deal with animals humanely and with people honestly and this including not receiving animals under false pretenses of rescuing them and not drowning them.
I lived on a farm. My father and I slaughtered animals for food. In every instance it was done quickly and in a manner to prevent pain. We beheaded chickens quickly to kill them. We didn't drown them. My father taught me that it is downright evil to cause unnecessary pain when one slaughters animals for food on a working farm, and he did not tolerate mistreatment of any animal we raised, including those raised for food.
One of the sad facts of overbreeding pet animals is that there are not enough homes for all that are born. Irresponsible people don't spay or neuter their animals, nor exercise the simple non-surgical means of confinement or even a leash. Until this happens, there will be animals that will be killed for lack of homes. There are humane ways to do this--euthanasia by overdose of an injection which causes them to lose consciousness painlessly and die. Euthanizing animals that cannot be placed is not an ideal choice, but it is a humane way to deal with a problem that exists and isn't going away soon.
Some people are pointing to this woman's bipolar disorder as a mitigating circumstance. I don't buy it. A very close family member of mine is bipolar. She goes through the swings, and acts impulsively at times. She does not torture animals, nor does any other bipolar person I have known. Bipolar disorder affects millions of people who do not torture animals by drowning them, and I resent seeing them indirectly slandered by the implication that bipolar disease causes such behavior. Bipolar disorder does not cause people to cease to be decent human beings.
This stuff makes me go into a slow burn. Sorry for the rant, but this gets to me. Yeah, God gave us dominion over the animals. It comes with a responsibility--to behave humanely, and not like sadists. I am just glad I don't have to deal with this woman personally. I don't know how well I could do so. Drowing animals instead of humanely euthanizing them is cruel beyond excuse.