1 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: Today on Crime Stories, we traveled to North Carolina, Georgia, 2 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:11,800 Speaker 1: and Florida. The rescue worker never expected she would have 3 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: to rescue one of her own dogs from the foster 4 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:20,159 Speaker 1: mother that promised to take care of him. Also, I 5 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: saw him in the crate, and I don't think there's 6 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: even words for how devastated I was. Joining Nancy Grace, 7 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: legendary animal rights advocate, Penny Douglas, fir Shanna Young, founder 8 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: of Fight Like a Champ, animal advocate, Army Rescue, Justine Stennett, 9 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: doctor Daniel Bober, forensic psychiatrist, Joseph Scott Morgan, forensics expert, 10 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 1: professor of forensics and author of Blood Beneath My Feet 11 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: and Leave Page, investigative reporter for Crime Online Crime Stories 12 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: with Nancy Grace, starved and deprived of water for thirty days. 13 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: Pictures illustrate the abuse Champ, the rottweilder and massiff mix, 14 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:16,119 Speaker 1: allegedly endured at the hands of his owner in Lawrence County. 15 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: You know, I don't know how someone could actually do that, 16 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: and you know, I strongly feel that some people just 17 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: don't deserve animals. Thirty year old Elizabeth James is charged 18 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 1: with ill treatment of animals after investigators say she intentionally 19 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 1: served the dog that belonged to an ex boyfriend, all 20 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 1: while feeding her own dogs. After a neighbor made a 21 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: call to animal control, the dog, later renamed Champ, was 22 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: brought to Sea Vets in Colombia in critical condition. He 23 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: needed a blood transfusion, he needed some intensive ABBE fluids 24 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 1: and electrol management. He needed just calories in the natural 25 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: proteins that you need to survive. On Tuesday, Champ received 26 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: a visit from the Richland County Sheriff's Department, bringing along toys, treats, 27 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: and an orthopedic bed. And we reached out to some 28 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: of the vendors who that we used for our Sheriff's 29 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: department for our canine, and of course they jumped right 30 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 1: on board when they saw what was going on with 31 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: the Champ. Doctors say Champ came in weighing fifty pounds, 32 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: that's about half of what a dog his size should wear. 33 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: This evil woman allegedly starves her ex's dog, the innocent dog, 34 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: for at least thirty days while feeding her own pets, 35 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: leaving the dog tied up to a tree when Champ 36 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 1: was found. When he was rescued, he was covered in maggots. 37 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:46,919 Speaker 1: This massive mix named Champ just rescued after deputies were called. 38 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: I'm Nancy Grace, this is Crime Stories. You were just 39 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:53,239 Speaker 1: hearing our friends at WIST. That was Carolyn Heckers. It's 40 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 1: almost too much to take in with me an all 41 00:02:55,800 --> 00:03:01,519 Speaker 1: star panel. Penny Douglas, fur Atlanta attorney, trial lawyer and 42 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: animal advocate Justine Stinnett, dog owner Shawn A Young Founder 43 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 1: a fight like a Champ, animal advocate, Army Rescue, renowned 44 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: forensics psychiatrist doctor Daniel bober and forensics expert, Professor Forensics, 45 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: Jacksonville State University. Joseph Scott Morgan, author of Blood Beneath 46 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: My Feet on Amazon and right now to Crime online 47 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: dot COM's investigative reporter Levi Paige, and of course with 48 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: me Jackie Howard in the studio Dave mack By remote 49 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: Levi page. What happened, Nancy? I have viewed the photos 50 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: of Champ the dog. He's a massive mix and it's heartbreaking. 51 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: He was basically a skeleton with Okay, wait, wait, wait 52 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: wait did you put him up on Crime Online? Jackie's 53 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: saying yes, I'm looking at the photos right now. Do 54 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,839 Speaker 1: you know what. He looks like a skeleton with fur, 55 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: and it makes me sick. Hold on, leave. Sorry, but 56 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: Penny Douglas Fur, I'm never well. Okay, can't say never. 57 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: I started to say, I'm never going to complain again. 58 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: When I knock on your door and you're wild two 59 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: hundred pound animals fleeing themselves, they look like nothing but 60 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: teeth and hair at the front door. Because I'm looking 61 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: at this little guy, I just want to cry, Penny. 62 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: I mean, I know you're a lawyer. It's really hard 63 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: to do this for all of us lawyers. But in 64 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: one sentence, how much do you feed just one of 65 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: your dogs a day? Oh, they're well fed, Nancy. They 66 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: get a lot of food. I get those big tubes 67 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: of the food that come in the refrigerated ones, and 68 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 1: they get like at least two of those every day. Okay, Now, 69 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 1: Penny Douglas Fur, you're on cross exam. Is it true, 70 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 1: miss Fur, that you have, on many occasions made a 71 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 1: peanut butter blob and fed your dogs in your own bed. 72 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: That's a yes, No, Okay, nothing further. Absolutely, I've cooked 73 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: for them. I've made treats for them. My husband makes 74 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: homemade frosty paws for them. You know what have you 75 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: seen these pictures? Doctor Daniel Bober, forensics psychiatrist, join me 76 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: out of the Florida jurisdiction, Doctor Bober, get off your lounge, 77 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: cheer by the pool and look at this picture of 78 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: this dog. Leave a page. Said it correctly. He looks 79 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: like a skeleton wearing fur, doctor Bober. I really believe 80 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 1: that there is a people animal connection in that if 81 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: you would do this to an innocent, helpless dog, chain 82 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 1: to a tree, which means she had to look out 83 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 1: and see the dog every day starving. You know, this 84 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: morning John started to call the dog John David fat 85 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 1: boy was wagging so hard he was wagging himself in half. 86 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 1: And I just had to run in and heat up 87 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,160 Speaker 1: some chicken skin. Don't tell me how wrong it is, 88 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,799 Speaker 1: Penny Douglas fur. I took the skin off a chicken 89 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: to make a casserole, and I saved him everything he likes, 90 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: and I heat it up and put it on top 91 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: of his lam flavored whatever that is we give him. 92 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: I thought he was going to I mean to me, 93 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 1: he looked like he was smiling. And I was late 94 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 1: to the studio when Jackie Howard did not say a 95 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 1: word because I was giving the dog heated up chicken 96 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 1: skin to go with his lamb flavored whatever it is. 97 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: Doctor Bober, I really think that pets, animals have feelings 98 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: and thoughts and communicate just like we do. And if 99 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 1: you're cruel to an animal, you would be cruel to 100 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 1: a person. You know what, Nancy, Some people actually prefer 101 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 1: animals more than people. And you have to say that 102 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: animals are purely defenseless, innocent creatures that give love unconditionally 103 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 1: and give affection, and so it takes a particularly sick 104 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 1: individual to harm an animal. So back to you Crime 105 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: online dot Com investigative reporter Levi Page. Tell me, I'm 106 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 1: sorry we got off track. Tell me again what happened. 107 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: A neighbor called authorities and reported this dog. It was 108 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: tied up to a tree, and thirty year old Elizabeth 109 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: James from Lawrence County, South Carolina, was supposed to be 110 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: caring for this dog, but she was not. She was 111 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: not feeding it, she was not giving it water. When 112 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: it was discovered it was unable to stand, unable to move, 113 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:28,239 Speaker 1: It was covered in maggots. It was tied to a tree. 114 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: It had not been exercised or walked, and it had 115 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 1: to have blood transfusions. It couldn't barely even eat at first. 116 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: So this is just horrible, horrible conditions Nancy, and she 117 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: did it all because she was mad at her ex 118 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: boyfriend for leaving the dog there. And it wasn't that 119 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: she couldn't afford to take care of the dog. She 120 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: had dogs herself. She fed those dogs. She purposely, with intent, 121 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: did not feed this dog. She basically watched it starve in. 122 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: That shows you just how demented she is. Well, that 123 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: brings into a whole other line of thinking, because it's 124 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: not like, oh, somebody gets mad and they kicked the cat. 125 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 1: This happened over a period of time, over day after 126 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: day after night after night. Joining me, Shaun a Young 127 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 1: found her a fight like a champ Animal Advocate, Army 128 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 1: Rescue Shawn a Young weight in. My whole thing, exactly 129 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 1: just like you said, was that she was feeding her 130 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 1: other dogs. It wasn't like, oh, I'm upset I kicked 131 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: the cat. It wasn't oh goodness, gracious, I forgot to 132 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 1: feed him for a day. I'm very close with the 133 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: Animal Control Agency and the shelter in Lawrence, County, and 134 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 1: it was just awful, Nancy. This dog skeleton doesn't even 135 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: begin to describe it. This dog weighed thirty nine pounds 136 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 1: when he was found and should have weighed about one 137 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty two one hundred and forty pounds nm 138 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:08,079 Speaker 1: massive Rottweiler. My other issue is if a dog is 139 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 1: supposed to weigh between one hundred and twenty one hundred 140 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: and forty pounds and he subsequently starved to thirty nine pounds, 141 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: for what reason? Can't he just walk away? Because all 142 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: of us who have lost weight, you know, our pants 143 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: get too big and they fall down right, Well, why 144 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 1: wasn't he able to just walk out of the collar. 145 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 1: That's because the collar kept being intentionally tightened day after 146 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,599 Speaker 1: day after day after day. That is the most disturbing 147 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: part to me, because that took malice and forethought and 148 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: a level of evil that I have never seen in 149 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:47,559 Speaker 1: my life before. She had to intentionally keep him on 150 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: that chain to keep starving him. Before Champ went to 151 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 1: Sea Bets in Colombia, he was taken to Clinton Animal 152 00:09:54,600 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: Hospital immediately the night that they found him. He pretty 153 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: much died in the animal control officer's arms. He needed 154 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:09,719 Speaker 1: a total of four blood transfusions. He had every kind 155 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: of worm, an intestinal parasite you could possibly imagine. I 156 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: just I don't really know what to say besides evil. 157 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm going to start crying just thinking 158 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 1: about what this little guy went through. You know, before 159 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: my dad passed away, Oh, how he loved our pets, 160 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 1: just loved our pets. And I remember we had a 161 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 1: little kiddie cat named Wally, and Wally passed away. My 162 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: dad cried for days and days. And when we've had 163 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: so many pets. At the end, when my trouble dog, 164 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: who I had from fifth grade through law school passed 165 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: away with cancer, my mom and dad were boiling him 166 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 1: chicken and tearing it up and feeding him by hand. 167 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 1: And when I think what you just told me, I 168 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: didn't know that part about how how do you know 169 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 1: seany young about the allegation she intentionally sensed the collar 170 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 1: to keep him there. That's the only way that it 171 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: could have happened. If you lose one hundred pounds of 172 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 1: your body weight, You're not going to tell me that 173 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: your same belt fits you. There's just no way possible. 174 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 1: What does this mean? They say, what the hookworm burden 175 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: was so high. His stomach was full of tons of 176 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 1: tiny bleeding ulcers. His blood has to be able to 177 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:38,320 Speaker 1: regenerate itself to combat this, which it's not currently doing. 178 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 1: Tons of tiny bleeding ulcers because of hookworms. Because he 179 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 1: was left chained in one solitary spot and he was 180 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 1: eating where he desiccated, forced to drink water off the 181 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: grass where he was laying, and never given any treatment 182 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: or attention. That's how you get such a terrible wind 183 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: the station and warned to Justine Stinnett joining us. Dog 184 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: owner White and Justine, the same thing happened with the 185 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 1: Gruelty case I was involved in. When dogs are kept 186 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: in self and their own self, it's they get so 187 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 1: many parasites and not only are they starving for food, 188 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: they're also being eaten alive by those parasites. Well, Justine 189 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: is absolutely correct. Take a listen to eleven Alive Rebecca Lustrum. 190 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 1: It was a heartbreaking moment for Justine Stinnett, the rescue 191 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: worker never expected she would have to rescue one of 192 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: her own dogs from the foster mother that promised to 193 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 1: take care of him. Yes, I saw him in the crate, 194 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,479 Speaker 1: and I don't think there's even words for how devastated 195 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 1: I was. I mean, I never cry, and I cried 196 00:12:54,720 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 1: like a baby. It was horrible. Crime Stories with Nancy 197 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: Grace Stinet says she started to get worried when the 198 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 1: foster mom, who also works as a pet sitter, missed 199 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 1: a VETT appointment. At first, she says, the woman refused 200 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: to answer her calls to explain why, but then agreed 201 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:33,200 Speaker 1: to put Lucky out on the porch to pick up. Sorry, sweetheart, 202 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:34,680 Speaker 1: we got to do a little bits at a time. 203 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:37,559 Speaker 1: Veterinarian Lexi Nan says it could take a month for 204 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 1: Lucky to regain back his weight and strength because prognosis 205 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 1: is good. But it's amazing that he hasn't had brain 206 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 1: damage from this, from being so weak and malnourished. We 207 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:55,319 Speaker 1: are now talking to pet owner Justin Stinnett. Take a 208 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 1: listen again to Rebecca Instrument. I don't understand how anyone 209 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 1: could mistreat a dog like us. After stint It posted 210 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: what happened online, the animal Shelter and Merriweather County reached 211 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: out to her concern that a dog they had recently 212 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: adopted to the woman might also be in danger. We 213 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: went back to the house, and there he was and 214 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: he was stumbling. He can't see. He's blind, so mine 215 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: was deaf. He was blind. And she left a blind 216 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: dog and a deaf dog to die in a home 217 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 1: with no food, no water, nothing. That dog, Simpson is 218 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 1: now in the custody of Cog County Animal Control, where 219 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: investigators are trying to figure out exactly when the dogs 220 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 1: were abandoned. For it to be one of our own, 221 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 1: it's devastating because you would never expect that from somebody 222 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 1: who makes a living taking care of animals. I mean, 223 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 1: it's just unreal. Even more so within the past twenty 224 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 1: four hours, it appears she's posted a new ad for 225 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: pet sitting services. I have received dozens of messages from 226 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: people who say they hired this woman to take care 227 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: of their pets while on vacation, only to come back 228 00:14:56,360 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: and find their houses reeking of urine and their dogs malnourished. Wow, 229 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 1: Justine Stidant dog owner, what happened? Oh? I have to 230 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: pull myself together after listening to that. I purposely do 231 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: not watch that video or listen to it. So I 232 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 1: she was a pet sitter and I work and have 233 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 1: been an animal rescue for a long time, and she 234 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: reached out to me asking if we had any special 235 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: needs animals that she could take care of and possibly adopt. 236 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: And at the time, I had a dog named Lucky 237 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: who he was deaf and had separation anxiety, and he 238 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: was a big, giant love bug, and I thought, you know, 239 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 1: I went to her house and spoke with her in 240 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: depth about how she was going to care for him 241 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 1: and how she as a print center. She was going 242 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: to take him everywhere she went, he would never be alone, 243 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: and that she knew exactly how to care for special 244 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: needs and I trusted her. She came recommended to me 245 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 1: by people in the community. She was fostering for another 246 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: rescue at the time. She you know, she loved animals, 247 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: is what I was told, and I got picture updates 248 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 1: from the beginning. I got update saying that he was great. 249 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: He had a stocking on the fireplace, he had presence 250 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 1: under the tree. Because it was Christmas time and she 251 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 1: couldn't wait to finalize his adoption. She wanted to make 252 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 1: him hers and I told her it's the only way 253 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: we could do that is if he was utered, and 254 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 1: she missed his appointment to get utered, and that's when 255 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 1: I realized something was very wrong and come to find 256 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: out after pounding her, I think it was about two days. 257 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: I harassed her to the point where she finally decided 258 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: she was going to give him back to me, and 259 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: she left him in a crate on her back porch 260 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: in the rain for over an hour because I waited 261 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: in her drivewing and she never showed up and sent 262 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: me a text message saying that the dog was in 263 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: a crate on her back porch and to just go 264 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 1: get him. And it had been raining in December, and 265 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: when I arrived, when I got out of the car 266 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,360 Speaker 1: to go into the backyard, the boyfriend I had at 267 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 1: the time started filming because he was worried we were 268 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 1: going on to someone else's property. And that's when we 269 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: got the video of me finding him. And he was 270 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 1: just bones. There was skin and bones. Just I have 271 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: heard that expression a million times in my life, but 272 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: never once have I seen it that way. And it 273 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: was disgusting. It was horrible. You are hearing just stain Stinnett, 274 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: dog owner, and she's telling the story of a pet 275 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,960 Speaker 1: keeper like a pet babysitter. Take a listen to this. 276 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 1: After investigating and a rest warrant has now been issued 277 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: for Ashley Marie Davis of Cobb County and includes two 278 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:46,479 Speaker 1: counts of animal cruelty. Lucky the dog is healthy and 279 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,360 Speaker 1: enjoying the dog park today. He's currently up for adoption 280 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 1: through Bosley's Place Animal Rescue. He probably put on another 281 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: five pounds. We wouldn't be disappointed, but otherwise he's really 282 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 1: he's perfect, perfectly healthy. Back in December, though, this is 283 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:02,880 Speaker 1: the severely underweight Lucky Cobb County Animal Control found. Investigators 284 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:06,880 Speaker 1: discovered a second dog, Simpson, also almost starving to death. Now, 285 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: Ashley Marie Davis has wanted for animal cruelty and abandonment 286 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 1: charges by Cobb County Police. She failed to provide them 287 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 1: adequate food and water, which led to their condition their emaciated. 288 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: State Police determined Davis had begun fostering Lucky late last 289 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: year and the other dog, Simpson, was adopted by Davis 290 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:25,919 Speaker 1: around the same time. Since then, police have received a 291 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 1: lot of questions from the public of white charges weren't 292 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: being filed detectives until eleven alive. They first needed to 293 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 1: run extensive medical tests while allowing both dogs to regain weight. 294 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 1: Then we put them on a maintenance schedule, and during 295 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 1: this time, we're also conducting lab reports. We're looking through 296 00:18:42,119 --> 00:18:44,679 Speaker 1: the medical history to make sure that there's no reason 297 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: or excuse for the animal not to gain weight. You're 298 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 1: hearing our friends at wx IATV eleven alive a pitt 299 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 1: sitter accused of leaving two dogs to starve to death. 300 00:18:56,520 --> 00:19:01,920 Speaker 1: For over a year, police looked for Ashley Marie Davis, 301 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:24,879 Speaker 1: a pet senter. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, police looked 302 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:30,199 Speaker 1: for Ashley Marie Davis, a pet sitter who was accused 303 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 1: of starving two dogs, abusing them, leaving them for dead. Finally, 304 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,639 Speaker 1: after arrest, warrants were issued on two counts of aggravated 305 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:46,199 Speaker 1: cruelty to animals, she was found this woman Davis, a 306 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 1: dog sitter, advertising her services to take care of pets. 307 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 1: I mean to me, doctor Daniel Bober. That's another twist. 308 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: Not only did she abuse and starve the animals too 309 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:03,159 Speaker 1: that we know, she actually advertised herself as a loving 310 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,679 Speaker 1: pet center. Yeah, Nancy, it's like the equivalent of you know, 311 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 1: a child molester being a scout master. I mean, it's 312 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: just really sick to Justine Stinnett, her dog involved. It's 313 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:19,920 Speaker 1: overwhelming to me that she could do this, and I'm 314 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: looking at pictures. I'm lucky right now. What did it 315 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 1: take to get Lucky on the road to recovery? Oh 316 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,120 Speaker 1: my goodness, I'm looking at a picture of him now, 317 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 1: and you're right he's skin and burns. Yeah, And truthfully, 318 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 1: I don't think those pictures do it any justice because 319 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 1: I look back now and in person it was it 320 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 1: was so much worse. And it took about six thousand 321 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:51,919 Speaker 1: dollars in vet bills and many months of slowly him 322 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:56,159 Speaker 1: gaining weight. But there was no reason at all for 323 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 1: him to beef him that way because she did gain 324 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:03,960 Speaker 1: and he gained properly with care. I mean, I'm looking 325 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 1: at the pictures right now. You can see what happened 326 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 1: to a little Lucky at crime online dot Com and 327 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 1: to you. Joseph Scott Morgan, Professor Forensics, jacksonvill State University 328 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 1: and author of Blood Beneath My Feet. He looks like 329 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:19,480 Speaker 1: those Halloween skeleton dogs that people put in their front 330 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:24,639 Speaker 1: yard as a decoration. He's so he is, truly, it 331 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 1: looks like skin hanging off of a spine. That's that's 332 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: what it looks like. This little guy. How long does 333 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:34,560 Speaker 1: it take for a dog to get in that condition. 334 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 1: And how do you prove a case like that forensically, Well, 335 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: you know, Nancy, when when it doesn't just have to 336 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 1: be a dog, any any living any living being that's 337 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: going through this kind of cycle of malnutrition. Uh, it can. 338 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,440 Speaker 1: It's long and languishing. You know, a human being can 339 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: live up to, for instance, for forty days. You know, 340 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 1: without food you need water. But you you compound that 341 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 1: with say dehydration and all these other factors, and it's 342 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 1: a recipe for disaster. Keep in mind, when you ingest 343 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 1: food in your normal state, you're building up fat stores. 344 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 1: When a body begins to starve, it literally begins to 345 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 1: digest itself. So in a case like an animal who 346 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: obviously is smaller than human, than a human, it could 347 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: take say half as much time, depended upon the metabolic 348 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:30,479 Speaker 1: rate of that animal. So the animal's body is literally 349 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,880 Speaker 1: digesting itself over a period of days than weeks. And 350 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,240 Speaker 1: then of course if they can survive out two months, 351 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: then sometimes it's a miracle. And not only was he 352 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: starved to the point of death, he's death. He can't hear, 353 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: so he's a disabled dog on top of everything else. Yes, 354 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,880 Speaker 1: and the other dog that she had was blind, and 355 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 1: the night I picked it lucky up, I had no 356 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 1: idea there was another dog involved. So while I was 357 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: in her backyard picking him up, the other dog was 358 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 1: trapped inside her house and starving, still blind in the dark, 359 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: with no power, food, or water. And all she had 360 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:16,400 Speaker 1: to do was give him to me. All she had 361 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,359 Speaker 1: to do was tell me, hey, I had these two dogs. 362 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 1: I can't take care of him, and I would have 363 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: taken them in a heartbeat. I would have never ever 364 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 1: left that other dog. So she had every intention of 365 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:33,120 Speaker 1: giving me my dog back, but leaving this other dog 366 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: in this house to die. And the only way I 367 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 1: even found out about him was a friend of hers 368 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: contacted me the next day and said, just so you know, 369 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:44,119 Speaker 1: the last time I heard she had two dogs in 370 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: that house. So I went back. It was probably maybe midnight. 371 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,560 Speaker 1: I went back because I was over an hour away drive. 372 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:57,439 Speaker 1: So I went back to that house and there he 373 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 1: was in the window of all things, and I called 374 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: the police with an investigator to come out, and they 375 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,679 Speaker 1: got him out. So had it not been for that 376 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 1: one friend calling me, that other dog would be I'm 377 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:14,119 Speaker 1: certain of it. Take a listen to this. Also Justin 378 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 1: Drew on news Rong Room. This woman rank here recused 379 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: of leaving two dogs to starve to death. There's her 380 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:23,439 Speaker 1: much shot. Ashley Marie Davis was arrestued today in Cobb County, 381 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:26,719 Speaker 1: almost a year after police issue the warrants. The saga 382 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: of the Lucky Dog was one of the most watch 383 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:32,159 Speaker 1: stories when eleven Alive dot com. This is what he 384 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 1: looked like December of two sixteen, shortly after he was 385 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: rescued from Davis's home. Police say Lucky and another dog 386 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 1: were left in her care as a foster parent. Lucky 387 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 1: is now fully recovered. Davis is being held in the 388 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:59,400 Speaker 1: Cobb County Jail on ten thousand dollars bond. Clime Stories 389 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 1: with Grace Chicola sex offender was set to get out 390 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: of prison on Wednesday. Now he's facing more sex charges, 391 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: including sexual conducts with an animal and Ascambia County Sheriff's 392 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: Office Warren affidavit accuses thirty eight year old Joseph Philyaw 393 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:22,359 Speaker 1: of raping a child under twelve years old and a 394 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: family dog named Smiley. He was previously convicted of loot 395 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: and lascivious conduct with a fourteen year old victim. He 396 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,440 Speaker 1: was set to be released from prison on Wednesday after 397 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 1: spending two years in prison for that crime. Now he's 398 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,640 Speaker 1: being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond on 399 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 1: new charges, including three counts of sexual battery, two counts 400 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,920 Speaker 1: of battery on a child, and one count of engaging 401 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:51,639 Speaker 1: in sexual conduct with an animal. Okay, right when you 402 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:55,879 Speaker 1: think you've heard it all, here comes somebody like this guy. 403 00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:00,879 Speaker 1: Joe Philyaw, you were just hearing news wk RG reporter 404 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 1: Cody Long to Penny Douglas, fur Atlanta trial attorney and 405 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:10,280 Speaker 1: animal advocate, forcing the little girl to watch as he 406 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:16,639 Speaker 1: sex molested the family pet. I mean, right when I 407 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:19,640 Speaker 1: think I've heard it all, this guy walks in. I mean, 408 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 1: what can we do with him? I don't know that 409 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 1: there's any way he could ever be rehabilitated. He needs 410 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 1: to stay in jail from now on. Nancy sadly, this 411 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 1: is common. A lot of abusers who abuse children will 412 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:42,120 Speaker 1: abuse or threaten the pets and say, you know, this 413 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 1: is what I'm going to do, and they will show 414 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:48,920 Speaker 1: that they can hurt the pets, and they will use 415 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:54,359 Speaker 1: that to control the child that has happened hundreds of times. 416 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 1: It's sad how often that happens, but it is very common. 417 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:03,440 Speaker 1: You will find other cases, and I've seen so many 418 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: cases that are violence to humans that started as violence 419 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 1: to animals. And I think that we need to put 420 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:17,000 Speaker 1: a lot more emphasis on when people are charged with 421 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:20,960 Speaker 1: violence to animals because a lot of like police officers, 422 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: fill its beneath them. A lot of das don't want 423 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,120 Speaker 1: to deal with it is just an animal. But if 424 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: they don't stop it, now it moves on to humans. 425 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,160 Speaker 1: And people don't see the connections, but there have been 426 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:39,399 Speaker 1: studies now that are showing that connection and they need 427 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 1: to focus on it. You know. I was reading one 428 00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: of those Penny called a Common Bond, and it analyzes 429 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 1: what researchers are found that violence against children frequently takes 430 00:27:53,440 --> 00:28:00,159 Speaker 1: place alongside other forms of violence, including violence against animals. 431 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:04,919 Speaker 1: To doctor Daniel Biber, forensic psychiatrists explain, well, Nancy, the 432 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:08,160 Speaker 1: same mental processes that would you would use to harm 433 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 1: a child are the same ones that you would use 434 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:13,199 Speaker 1: to harm an animal. Basically, the common theme being that 435 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:17,399 Speaker 1: you take pleasure in power and control over living things 436 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 1: that are defenseless, and you can't protect themselves, and so 437 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 1: you obviously exploit that animal abuse is a type of 438 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:31,439 Speaker 1: interpersonal violence, and believe it or not, what Penny Douglas 439 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:37,160 Speaker 1: Firm was saying is correct. It often co occurs with 440 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:42,680 Speaker 1: child abuse and even other forms of family violence. So 441 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 1: when you identify animal abuse, that's an incredibly valuable tool 442 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:54,760 Speaker 1: in protecting children from abuse and neglect. I didn't realize, 443 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 1: although it really makes common sense that the two go 444 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:03,960 Speaker 1: hand and hand, and to Joe Scott Morgan, forensics expert, 445 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 1: author of Blood Beneath My Feet on Amazon, way in, Yeah, 446 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 1: you know, one of the disturbing little factors about this 447 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 1: Nancy is that we see this in progression of serial 448 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 1: cereal perpetrators. You know, they talk about this spectrum that 449 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 1: they kind of march along where they'll start off literally 450 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 1: with small animals and torture them, and it's a progression. 451 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 1: Now it's a bit different in this because the animals 452 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 1: in this particular case are being used with this fellow 453 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 1: in front of this little girl as almost like a prop. 454 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 1: He's taking something that this child probably loves and adores 455 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:44,959 Speaker 1: and demonstrating the abuse that he is conducted, that he 456 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:48,520 Speaker 1: is perpetrating only small animals, literally saying to her and 457 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:52,360 Speaker 1: you know, kind of nonverbal terms. He's demonstrating it, I'm 458 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:56,000 Speaker 1: gonna harm you like I'm harming this dog. There's even 459 00:29:56,040 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 1: one report where she reported hearing the dog whimper during 460 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 1: these acts, and he would actually hit this animal in 461 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 1: the midst of having sex with it in front of 462 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:10,280 Speaker 1: this little girl too. You know, you were talking about 463 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 1: the slide that we're on where you think that you've 464 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: hit ground floor. Man, I'll tell you what it feels like. 465 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: We're in the basement of hell sometimes with some of 466 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 1: these people. You know, I've been studying this very carefully 467 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: for this very moment when we speak. Statistics and research 468 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:28,760 Speaker 1: show that when children have animals in the home, they 469 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 1: have higher self esteem, they do better in school. It 470 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 1: goes so far in creating a happy and healthy child. 471 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 1: But on the other hand, when that bond between them 472 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:48,360 Speaker 1: is broken by violence in the family or by neglect, 473 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 1: the child pays an incredible price for witnessing that violence, 474 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:59,640 Speaker 1: whether the violence is directed a sibling, a parent, or 475 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: a pet. They develop behavioral problems. They fail academically, They 476 00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:11,960 Speaker 1: engage in delinquent behavior, criminal behavior. They are also more 477 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: vulnerable to psychological problems, including drug addiction. And this not 478 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 1: just hypothesizing. This is based on statistics and research. There's 479 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:30,600 Speaker 1: a very strong consensus now amongst researchers that child neglect 480 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:36,400 Speaker 1: and abuse and animal abuse are all part are all 481 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:43,200 Speaker 1: elements of family violence systems. So when you find someone 482 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:48,480 Speaker 1: abusing the animal, look to see how the children, or 483 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:52,320 Speaker 1: the spouse or the elder in the home is treated. 484 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 1: To doctor Daniel bober forensic psychiatrists help me out. Bober No, 485 00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:00,240 Speaker 1: I agree, it's sort of like what we call a 486 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 1: surrogate marker. If an animal is being abused or a 487 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:05,520 Speaker 1: child is being abused, either way you have to look 488 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:08,160 Speaker 1: at the other because you know obviously it's a marker 489 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 1: that something bigger is going on in the home. To 490 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 1: Shauna Young, founder of Fight Like a Champ, Animal Advocate 491 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 1: Army Rescue SHAWNA, I hope you're sitting down. I volunteered 492 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 1: at the Batter Woman Center for nine years on the hotline, 493 00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:31,440 Speaker 1: and now statistics show that at the least seventy one 494 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 1: percent of battered women report their male partner had threatened 495 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:42,520 Speaker 1: or had in fact harm or killed their pet. The 496 00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 1: survey also points to the effect on children who witness 497 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 1: animal abuse and families. Thirty two percent of women with 498 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:55,440 Speaker 1: children report one of their children had now also committed 499 00:32:55,520 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 1: acts of animal cruelty from witness saying typically the male. 500 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 1: But as we say in Champs case, a female, I'd 501 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:08,720 Speaker 1: be using a pet. What do you make of it, Shawna, Actually, Nancy, 502 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 1: there's been a lot of cases recently in the last 503 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: year and a half that have been perpetrated by women. 504 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,120 Speaker 1: That's a thing that I'm very confused by, because women 505 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 1: are supposed to be the givers of life, the nurturers, 506 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:27,360 Speaker 1: the caretakers. I just I have no idea why, but 507 00:33:27,760 --> 00:33:32,240 Speaker 1: it is very common. I know that a study out 508 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 1: of Rutgers University says somewhere around eighty three percent of 509 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:40,760 Speaker 1: domestic violence sufferers also their pet was targeted. We speak 510 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:44,000 Speaker 1: to that when we go to county council meetings to 511 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 1: try to persuade county councils to you know, initiate stuffer 512 00:33:48,280 --> 00:33:52,280 Speaker 1: penalties for animal abusers and tethering ordinances. We try to 513 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:58,680 Speaker 1: speak on animal abuse and collateral crime. It's a it's 514 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:03,320 Speaker 1: a very co morbid, is you know, Penny Douglas. Fur 515 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:08,320 Speaker 1: not only um trial lawyer and animal advocate, but long 516 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 1: time personal friend believed or not. We met over a 517 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:14,360 Speaker 1: case and you know, he was guilty. He was so guilty. 518 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 1: And as a matter of fact, I proved that, as 519 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:20,200 Speaker 1: I recall, because he spit on his rape victim and 520 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:23,239 Speaker 1: we got the spit and we did a DNA match. 521 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:27,200 Speaker 1: Wasn't that that case, Penny? That? Oh yeah, okay, So 522 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:30,400 Speaker 1: I was right. Good times, good times. Um, I feel 523 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:35,760 Speaker 1: like crying, Penny, because listen to this as you were saying, 524 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:38,480 Speaker 1: that's why I'm coming back to you on this. The 525 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 1: studies show that animals pets are used by perpetrators to 526 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:49,080 Speaker 1: coerce children into silence. The threat of animal abuse to 527 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:54,640 Speaker 1: silence child sex abuse has been a factor in many 528 00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 1: criminal convictions, and we have seen courts in Maine and 529 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:04,879 Speaker 1: Idaho and others affirm child sex abuse convictions, noting the 530 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:09,800 Speaker 1: defendant had also threatened and even killed animals in front 531 00:35:09,960 --> 00:35:13,600 Speaker 1: of the child victim. Nancy, the man who just did 532 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:17,399 Speaker 1: the mask killing in Ohio, two weeks before he did 533 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:21,320 Speaker 1: the mask killing, he was sitting on a roof shooting 534 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:25,719 Speaker 1: and killing animals. If he had been arrested for that 535 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:29,520 Speaker 1: and charged with animal cruelty. They could have made it 536 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:32,200 Speaker 1: a part of his bond to take those guns away, 537 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:36,000 Speaker 1: and then all of those people would not have been killed. 538 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:41,319 Speaker 1: I'm thinking about the effect, and I'm sure there's not 539 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:44,759 Speaker 1: enough study, guys, I'm talking. I have learned a lot 540 00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:50,560 Speaker 1: about this from the Humane Society organization, the Humane Society 541 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:56,759 Speaker 1: dot org, and I specifically studied in preparation for today's program, 542 00:35:57,719 --> 00:36:02,319 Speaker 1: something called a Common Bond and it examines is by 543 00:36:02,440 --> 00:36:06,920 Speaker 1: Mary lou Randour and Howard Davidson. That's between the Humane 544 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:09,960 Speaker 1: Society and the American Bar Association Center on Children and 545 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:14,080 Speaker 1: the Law, and it talks about maltreated children and animals 546 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:18,360 Speaker 1: in the home. And I'm just thinking about the effect 547 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 1: that sea animals mistreated has on children. You know, the 548 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:27,360 Speaker 1: first thing the children see in the morning, Penny, you 549 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:30,319 Speaker 1: know my little babies. The first thing they see is 550 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:33,440 Speaker 1: me bring them. Yes, they get breakfast in bed. It 551 00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:36,080 Speaker 1: is a fruit drink that I make by hand. And 552 00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:38,920 Speaker 1: then they see me taking care of those two little 553 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:44,120 Speaker 1: fat poop monsters, my guinea pigs, Abbey and Chloe. That's 554 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 1: the first thing they see is somebody taking care of 555 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:52,120 Speaker 1: pets and cleaning their cage and giving them their hay 556 00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:56,240 Speaker 1: and their water and their treats. First, think seven am 557 00:36:56,239 --> 00:36:58,480 Speaker 1: in the morning while you're having your law tape, Penny Douglas, 558 00:36:58,480 --> 00:37:01,600 Speaker 1: for I'm shoveling guinea pig, And then they see the 559 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:04,440 Speaker 1: cat being taken care of and the dog being taken 560 00:37:04,480 --> 00:37:09,320 Speaker 1: care of, and I wonder how that affects them. Penny, 561 00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:14,840 Speaker 1: have you actually seen cases where the child is threatened 562 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:18,360 Speaker 1: with abuse of their pet? Oh? Absolutely. As a matter 563 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:22,600 Speaker 1: of fact, I've seen cases where the wife was being 564 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:26,719 Speaker 1: abused and she and the children were afraid to leave 565 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:32,000 Speaker 1: because the abuser was threatening the animals. One a case 566 00:37:32,120 --> 00:37:35,480 Speaker 1: that I worked on, the wife and kids had even 567 00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:38,720 Speaker 1: left and they came back home and found the dog 568 00:37:38,800 --> 00:37:42,040 Speaker 1: dead in the middle of the floor. And many of 569 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:47,760 Speaker 1: them hesitate because most of the shelters will not take pets, 570 00:37:48,280 --> 00:37:51,759 Speaker 1: and they're afraid to leave the abuser and leave the 571 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:55,919 Speaker 1: animals at home because they'll get exactly what my client did. 572 00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:58,800 Speaker 1: They'll come home to a dead dog. Oh that hurts 573 00:37:58,800 --> 00:38:01,400 Speaker 1: me so much, you know, to this day. Yeah. I 574 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:04,120 Speaker 1: also credit Penny Douglas fur with helping me find my 575 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:07,520 Speaker 1: cat Coco. Penny, I was got a divorce over that cat. 576 00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:11,040 Speaker 1: It was actually right. Oh yeah, it was right before 577 00:38:11,719 --> 00:38:14,360 Speaker 1: I married David, and I had had Coco, who I 578 00:38:14,400 --> 00:38:18,400 Speaker 1: took in as a stray he was being starved and 579 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:24,200 Speaker 1: had him for eighteen years. And David, I was living 580 00:38:24,239 --> 00:38:26,920 Speaker 1: in out of course, was living in New York at 581 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:31,359 Speaker 1: the time. David had the cat in Atlanta and was 582 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:34,040 Speaker 1: doing some remodeling, and I said, before he started the remodeling, 583 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:36,440 Speaker 1: get the cat out and board him at the vet 584 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:39,840 Speaker 1: for just a week or so and then bring him back. Well, 585 00:38:40,040 --> 00:38:43,120 Speaker 1: David let the cat get away, and they started the remodeling, 586 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:46,520 Speaker 1: and the cat ran away, and I called Penny Douglas 587 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:49,120 Speaker 1: fur from Washington. D says about did Larry King's show 588 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:52,680 Speaker 1: in tears. I sent her a picture I had on 589 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:55,879 Speaker 1: my phone of the cat. She went all over the neighborhood, 590 00:38:56,239 --> 00:39:00,359 Speaker 1: put up posters solid black cat, green eyes, answers to name. 591 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:06,240 Speaker 1: Coco does not have a tail reward. So we found 592 00:39:06,239 --> 00:39:10,080 Speaker 1: the cat about three blocks as the crow flies away, 593 00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:15,440 Speaker 1: at Miss Jane Baird's house and she answered Penny's poster, 594 00:39:16,160 --> 00:39:18,239 Speaker 1: and she said, what, you could come get him, but 595 00:39:18,360 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 1: right now, saute gim some shrimp. And she had renamed 596 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:25,240 Speaker 1: him mister Kitty. I can tell you this. David Lynch 597 00:39:25,719 --> 00:39:28,399 Speaker 1: lived in the doghouse for quite some time after that. 598 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:33,280 Speaker 1: I want to circle back to the story about Champ 599 00:39:34,160 --> 00:39:36,600 Speaker 1: to set a young found her fight like a Champ 600 00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:41,000 Speaker 1: animal advocate. How is Champ doing, because when it first started, 601 00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:44,080 Speaker 1: they thought that they couldn't save him. Camp is actually 602 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:48,080 Speaker 1: doing fantastic. After he was medically stable, he was taken 603 00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:51,640 Speaker 1: to a foster home in Alabama, and then he was 604 00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:54,400 Speaker 1: adopted by a family. I believe that lives in Maryland 605 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:58,200 Speaker 1: or Delaware. And he's riding around in a fancy car 606 00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:01,120 Speaker 1: and swomen in a swimming pool, and he is a big, 607 00:40:01,360 --> 00:40:04,239 Speaker 1: beautiful fat boy, just like he always should have been, 608 00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:07,480 Speaker 1: you know. And that's my dog's name, fat Boy. And 609 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:11,680 Speaker 1: for a reason, for a reason, I'm just what happened 610 00:40:12,120 --> 00:40:15,400 Speaker 1: to the evil person that had him chained up to 611 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:18,640 Speaker 1: a tree, starving him on purpose? Well, the evil person 612 00:40:18,760 --> 00:40:21,960 Speaker 1: that had him chained to the tree starving was initially 613 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:27,359 Speaker 1: just written a ticket, you know, expletive ticket. I can't 614 00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:31,320 Speaker 1: even say the word, but a ticket. So that's how 615 00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:35,400 Speaker 1: like a Champ kind of got started. Was I was 616 00:40:35,480 --> 00:40:38,440 Speaker 1: just so infuriated that the only thing that happened was 617 00:40:38,440 --> 00:40:40,680 Speaker 1: a ticket. So I just started posting, you know what, 618 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:43,279 Speaker 1: I'm tired of this. I'm tired of this, And the 619 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:46,359 Speaker 1: next day fifteen hundred people were also tired of it. 620 00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:54,360 Speaker 1: She's still hasn't concluded her trial yet. The powers that 621 00:40:54,520 --> 00:40:57,040 Speaker 1: be in Lawrence County are making it very very hard 622 00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,520 Speaker 1: for us to follow the case because name well, wait 623 00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:02,480 Speaker 1: a minute, so she it was just a ticket. But 624 00:41:02,680 --> 00:41:05,120 Speaker 1: was it ever upgraded to a different charge? Yes, ma'am, 625 00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:07,480 Speaker 1: it was such as animal cruelty. Yes, ma'am, it was 626 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:11,520 Speaker 1: upgraded to animal cruelty. The fight like a Champ Animal 627 00:41:11,520 --> 00:41:17,799 Speaker 1: Advocate Army forty six hundred strong. We did a bombardment 628 00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:20,920 Speaker 1: e mail campaign to the Lawrence County Solicitor's Office and 629 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:24,920 Speaker 1: the Sheriff's office, and her charge was upgraded to a felony. 630 00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:28,759 Speaker 1: He was indicted by the grand jury. It hasn't concluded yet, though. 631 00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:33,960 Speaker 1: If you want to be involved in the case of 632 00:41:34,120 --> 00:41:40,360 Speaker 1: this horribly mistreated and abused pet Champ, please contact the 633 00:41:40,560 --> 00:41:46,799 Speaker 1: Lawrence County Solicitor's Office. That phone number is eight six 634 00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:53,680 Speaker 1: four nine eight four two two zero two repeat eight 635 00:41:53,880 --> 00:41:59,719 Speaker 1: six four nine eight four two two zero two. There 636 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:05,480 Speaker 1: are dress one hundred Hillcrest Square, Laurens, South Carolina, two 637 00:42:05,640 --> 00:42:12,919 Speaker 1: nine three six zero, one hundred Hillcrest Square, Laurens, South Carolina, 638 00:42:13,000 --> 00:42:18,239 Speaker 1: two nine three six zero. The Solicitor, I'm looking at 639 00:42:18,320 --> 00:42:20,879 Speaker 1: him right now. It's like real law and justice kind 640 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:26,120 Speaker 1: of guy. David M. As in mother Stumbo, Stu m 641 00:42:26,160 --> 00:42:31,360 Speaker 1: as in mother b brother O David M. Stumbo of 642 00:42:31,440 --> 00:42:36,200 Speaker 1: the Eighth Judicial Circuit. Let's see what happens now. You 643 00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:41,400 Speaker 1: can go to Fight Like a Champ on Facebook to 644 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:44,840 Speaker 1: find out the latest. I'm looking at it right now. 645 00:42:45,040 --> 00:42:48,840 Speaker 1: If you want justice for Champ and other animals, go 646 00:42:48,960 --> 00:42:53,640 Speaker 1: to the website and please contact the South Carolina Solicitor 647 00:42:53,719 --> 00:43:01,239 Speaker 1: and Lawrence County David M. Stumbo. We wait as just 648 00:43:01,400 --> 00:43:06,360 Speaker 1: as unfalls. Nancy Grace's crime story signing off, goodbye friend,