OWNER LEAVES CAGED DOG IN HEAT TO DIE

UPDATE JULY 21ST, 2010:  WE HAVE MET OUR GOAL OF 5,000 SIGNATURES ... I AM GOING TO FORWARD A LINK FOR THIS PETITION TO PROSECUTOR MARK BESSER, TONIGHT - THE TRIAL STARTS JULY 23RD ... KEEP SHARING & SIGNING ... JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED!!!!


UPDATE JULY 23, 2010:
TODAY'S COURT VERDICT:  $1,092 FINE & 30 DAYS PRISON TIME (SERVED ON WEEKENDS)! PACKED COURTROOM!!! TURNED PEOPLE AWAY - NO ROOM!!!
5,665 signatures ... target was 5,000 - PLEASE KEEP SHARING THIS PETITION - I HAVE CHOSEN TO LET THE PETITION KEEP GOING ... BECAUSE NOW IT'S TIME TO TAKE ACTION AND GET STRICTER LAWS & PUNISHMENT THAT FITS THE CRIME!  IF YOU ARE OUTRAGED AT THE PATHETIC LAWS, PLEASE SAY SO!!!  THIS PETITION MUST EFFECT CHANGE!!!
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HERE'S THE STORY:

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA ... 114 DEGREE HEAT - THIS POOR DOG WAS KNOWINGLY LEFT IN THE SCORCHING SUN FOR 3 DAYS WITH NO FOOD OR WATER - A NEIGHBOR OFFERED TO MOVE THIS BABY INTO THE SHADE - THE OWNER REFUSED!!!!

SAD TO SAY, BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW THIS PUPS NAME.


URGENT UPDATE, JULY 13th, 2010, 7:52 PM EST
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY URGENT! TRIAL STARTS JULY 23rd.  I RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION A FEW MINUTES AGO FROM A FACEBOOK FRIEND.  She contacted the Florence Area Humane Society.  This is what happened:
"I received this e-mail this afternoon 7/13/2010 from Jayne Boswell, President of Florence area Humane Society.

JAYNE BOSWELL SAYS:  "I just found this out!  I could not reach the Judge, but I did speak with the Prosecutor Mark Besser, @ 843-676-8633. He said mine was only the 2nd call he'd received!"

***PLEASE STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING & CALL HIM NOW!***


THE TRIAL DATE IS JULY 23RD, 10:00 am, room 506 in the City County Complex, 180 N. Irby St., Florence, SC, 29501.  A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION IS BEING ORGANIZED - SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS.

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST OFFENSE BY CHARLES BELL:

http://www2.scnow.com/scp/news/local/pee_dee/article/third_animal_cruelty_case_reported_in_pee_dee/221068/
Scotty Davis, director of community services in Florence, said the temperature inside the crate reached 114 degrees before the dog died, after spending three days in the crate.

Charles Bell, of 705 Ventura Court in Florence, faces animal cruelty charges. He was not arrested, but is scheduled to appear in court July 23 at 10 a.m. to face the charges.

Davis said crimes like these are typically classified as misdemeanor offenses and carry with it a $500 fine and possible 30 days in jail.

"Certainly in our opinion the animal died a very slow, harsh death in the heat," Davis said.

Davis said Bell's first offense came in 2008, when officials found two pit bulls in a cage with feces.

Bell surrendered the dogs to officials after they checked up on the case a few weeks later and found Bell had not complied with orders.


http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/charlesbellcruelty.html
June 23, 2010, FLORENCE, S.C.
On June 23, City Animal Control received a call about a dog at a residence in the city of Florence...they found a dead dog...in a small transport crate...in the hot sun...no water...over 100 degrees...the dog had been there for two days...someone had asked if they could move the dog to the shade...the owner refused.

Can you even imagine how that dog suffered...to die in the hot sun...slowly...painfully...with no shade...with no water to help quench the terrible thirst. Law enforcement was called...a warrant was signed...there will be a case before the judge July 23. Our hearts should be broken over this...mine is.

We need to be outraged...we need to demand justice...we need to cry out for compassion...we need to make sure that no animal is allowed to suffer like this...We need to SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT...join me in this fight....spread the word about this dog...and the case that is coming against the owner. Just a dog...they say...a precious life...I say.

Mayor: Stephen Wukela
(swukela@cityofflorence.com)

Chief of Police: Anson Shells
843 665-3191, 843 665-3191

Major Carlos Raines: Criminal Investigations Div:
843-665-3191, 843-665-3191

Judge: Debbie Jackson
843-665-3148 843-665-3148

More information on the Police Department, City of Florence
can be found at www.cityofflorence.com.

Address for the above names:
City of Florence
City-County Complex AA
180 North Irby Street
Florence, SC 29501-3456

Letters to the editor of the Morning News here in Florence would also be good! (go to www.scnow.com)

Thanks for your willingness to get involved!

THE FOLLOWING WAS COPIED FROM A FACEBOOK NOTE:

Florence, South Carolina - Charles Bell Cruelty Case - TRIAL IS ON JULY 23RD at 10am!!!

The trial hearing will be July 23, 10:00 am, room 506 in the City County Complex, 180 N. Irby St., Florence, SC, 29501. PLEASE FLOOD THE COURTHOUSE!!

WE NEED AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN GET THERE! WE NEED A PEACEFUL PRESENCE THERE TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT THAT CHARLES BELL SHOULD NEVER OWN, HARBOR OR CARE FOR ANOTHER ANIMAL EVER AGAIN!! AND THAT WE SUPPORT THE SENTENCING OF CHARLES BELL TO MAXIMUM JAIL TIME AND FINE!! Please keep sharing this link - we need people to show up on July 23rd @ 10am!

TAKE ACTION NOW! We need your emails and letters sent to the City of Florence!

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http://www2.scnow.com/scp/news/local/pee_dee/article/third_animal_cruelty_case_reported_in_pee_dee/221068/

"Florence County Animal Control officials found a large black dog dead in a small transport crate in late June after neighbors reported seeing the animal.

Scotty Davis, director of community services in Florence, said the temperature inside the crate reached 114 degrees before the dog died, after spending three days in the crate.

Charles Bell, of 705 Ventura Court in Florence, faces animal cruelty charges. He was not arrested, but is scheduled to appear in court July 23 at 10 a.m. to face the charges.

Davis said crimes like these are typically classified as misdemeanor offenses and carry with it a $500 fine and possible 30 days in jail.

"Certainly in our opinion the animal died a very slow, harsh death in the heat," Davis said.

Davis said Bell's first offense came in 2008, when officials found two pit bulls in a cage with feces.

Bell surrendered the dogs to officials after they checked up on the case a few weeks later and found Bell had not complied with orders."

==========

This hideous case of obviously intentional animal torture (a neighbor wanted to move the dog into the shade and was refused) should be prosecuted to the fullest extent allowable by South Carolina law.
Especially since the abuser has been previously charged with abuse and had dogs removed from his care (lack thereof would be a better way to put it). It is a very sad commentary on the American judicial system in general, and S.C.'s judicial system in particular, that Bell will only be charged with misdemeanor crimes for purposefully starving, dehydrating and over-heating this helpless dog to death. He should absolutely be forbidden from ever having any other dogs (or any other animals). Bell is a menace not only to animals, but to people too. It is now well-established that there is a strong link between torturing animals and torturing people... http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/magazine/13dogfighting-t.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss The man is a time-bomb, and no one should be surprised when his behavior escalates to other defenseless beings, such as children. What a tragedy. I am sick to my stomach. 

PLEASE CALL AND WRITE:

Anson Shells
Police Chief
City of Florence , City County Complex
180 N. Irby Street
Florence , SC 29501

Stephen Wukela
Mayor
City of Florence , City County Complex
180 N. Irby Street
Florence , SC 29501

Here are the House and Senate members at the state level (that represent this address)

Representative Terry Alexander
District 59 - Florence & Marion Cos.
1646 Harris Court
Florence, SC
29501

Senator Kent M. Williams
District 30 - Dillon, Florence, Marion & Marlboro Cos. 4205 Stirk Place
Marion, SC
29571

PLEASE CALL THE PROSECUTOR ... AND LEAVE A RESPECTFUL MESSAGE AS TO HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS CASE.  PROSECUTOR MARK BESSER, @ 843-676-8633.