Animals At Sacramento Miller Park Marina And Southside Park Attacked With Darts; $5,000 Reward Offered For Information

Contact: Katherine Vos, Supervising Animal Care Officer, 916/808-5855
Amy Williams, Media & Communications Specialist, 916/433-6372

Release: IMMEDIATE - SEPTEMBER 30, 2004

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and United Animal Nations (UAN) are offering a combined $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for darting cats and ducks at the Sacramento Miller Park Marina and Southside Park. If you have any information about these crimes, please call 916/808-5855.
Last week, the City of Sacramento's Animal Care Services Center responded to a call that a duck at Southside Park was spotted with a dart lodged in its neck. The duck is currently being rehabbed before it is returned to the park. In addition, several cats have been found with darts protruding from their bodies, including one whose eye was damaged beyond repair. "Knowing what we do about the connections between animal cruelty and human violence, this type of crime is particularly disturbing," said Eric Sakach, Regional Director for West Coast Regional Office of The HSUS. "Research has shown that, if allowed to harm animals, children are more likely to be violent later in life. Animal cruelty, like any other violence, should never be attributed to a stage of development."

"We are deeply saddened to hear about the attacks on these innocent animals," said UAN President Jennifer Fearing. "The perpetrators must be punished in order to demonstrate that such violence against animals - against any living being - is not tolerated in our community."
According to research by The HSUS, serious or repeated animal cruelty is seen more often in boys than in girls. Children as young as four may harm animals but such behavior is most common during adolescence. Cruelty is often associated with children who do poorly in school and have low self-esteem and few friends. Children who are cruel to animals are often characterized as bullies and may have a history of truancy, vandalism, and other antisocial behaviors. Researchers say that a child's violence against animals often represents displaced hostility and aggression stemming from neglect or abuse of the child or of another family member. Animal cruelty committed by any member of a family, whether parent or child, often means child abuse occurs in that family.

"Animal abuse is often a sign of other serious problems and should be addressed by the proper authorities," said Sakach. "And this is especially important when the animal cruelty is calculated to or motivated by a desire to harm or cause pain."

UAN, a national non-profit animal advocacy and rescue organization headquartered in Sacramento, issues this reward as part of its Zig Zag Memorial Reward program, named for a dog who was burned, beaten and tortured for hours before mercifully dying. The reward is offered in the hopes that it will break the wall of silence and encourage people to step forward with information.

To learn about the City shelter and the wonderful animals waiting to be adopted there, please visit the Animal Care Services Center at 2127 Front Street, call 916/808-PETS, or view the animals on-line at http://www.sacpetsearch.com.