Sharon McDonough Found With 20 Dead Dogs Buried In Yard: Officials

SELDEN, N.Y. — Authorities in New York say a woman who had about 20 dead dogs buried in her backyard on Long Island faces a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge.

Suffolk County SPCA official Roy Gross says five dogs were found in small cages without food or water at the Selden, N.Y. home. A cat also was rescued.

The rescued dogs are a shepherd mix, a beagle mix, an Italian greyhound, a cocker spaniel mix and a pug.

The greyhound has been adopted; homes were being sought for the other animals.

The defendant is a widowed mother of seven. She has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court Tuesday in Central Islip (EYE'-slip.)

She could go to prison if convicted of animal cruelty.

___

On the Net: http://www.suffolkspca.org/

Comments

[carnegie]

I would love a few minutes in a dark alley with this effin witch. I hope she meets some animal lovers in prison.

[Marina56]

She's even worse than Vick: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/backyard+described+concentration+camp+after+remains+found/2207492/story.html

[Marina56]

The son says she forced his sisters to torture the animals. She has lost custody of her children, at least for the time being. http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/selden-woman-in-animal-cruelty-case-loses-custody-of-kids-1.1578399

What she did is certainly no less awful than what Vick did. However, Vick violated federal laws as well as state laws, which is why he was able to be prosecuted in both jurisdictions. That is not the case here; but I would certainly hope and I do anticipate that the charges against her will be upgraded to include felony charges.

[A terrible sadness]

I guess I missed the part in the article where she was holding dog fights in her basement?

While what she did may well be reprehensible, comparing her actions to that of Micheal Vick is an insult.

[carnegie]

I'm not sure how you draw that conclusion. Her son's comment that is was a concentration camp for dogs implies it was pretty sick.

[doctorwang]

Before you all condemn this woman, and try to compare her to Michael Vicks, I suggest you try doing a little research. This behavior is not that uncommon, and may be due to a mental disorder. How many times have you read/seen stories concerning 'cat ladies' who hoard pets mistakenly believing that they are actually benefitting the animals they think they are rescuing?

"For unknown reasons, pet hoarders tend to be women-- hence the fact that our Cr@zy Cat Lady is, stereotypically, a "lady". This may relate to a desire to hoard pets based on maternal feelings, or a desire to care for weak or abandoned animals. Although it begins as an act of compassion and love, the Cr@zy Cat Lady's desire for companionship quickly escalates into an out-of-control mental illness."

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1468017/pet_hoarding_the_crazy_cat_lady_disease.html

There are many other (and more advanced) articles on the subject.

[NJShopGirl]

So because she has a "disease" she should be treated differently from Michael Vick? Uh huh.

I hope she get prosecuted to the full extent of the law - animal cruelty is not right. But fair is fair - let her receive a similar sentence to Mr Vick if not more time.

[HHUA]

Agreed she should go to jail... But you do realize that our justice system views crimes of "neglect" (that lead to death) quite differently than crimes of premeditated "murder" right? I'm not saying that it's necessarily right, but putting this into perspective of the law, if you take two mothers (of the same "color") and one neglects her child who dies as a result vs. another who throws her child off a roof who do you think would get more time?

Come on folks... enough with the racism. As someone who has been involved in animal rescue for many years I've seen plenty of "white" people go to jail for animal cruelty. Let's also not forget that MV was running a "gambling ring" and sadly far more likely to be punished under the law for that than cruelty to animals.

[rocketdog56]

wrong.

[cucumber]

serial killers have a mental disorder too. My great compassion for your mental disorder ends when you hurt others.

[petalpusher]

Thank you!

[carnegie]

Excuse me I have known hoarders; they don't steal and there is not a pile of dead animals in their backyards. This woman was abusing and killing these animals. Mentally ill? So are most of the people who inflict violence on animals AND people, including John Mohammed who is being executed tonight. As a society, right or wrong, once your illness starts taking lives we generally have very little patience for it. Of course, as a society, we generally have very little patience for mental illness period. Which is why it festers and grows. Sad.

[unwashedmasses]

One should read the article(s) before commenting.

[lbolle]

I hate to sound sanctimonious here, but it's hypocritical to lash out at this woman out of one side of your mouth and stick a forkful of animal flesh in the other side. Where is the outrage against the cruelty against the animals in the slaughter houses and the factory farms? Let's be the better race and respect all living creatures, not just the ones who have the ability to curl up on our laps or fetch sticks. Humans don't need meat anymore. I not only get along great without it, but I'm all the more healthy. You can be too.

[HHUA]

Firstly, I agree 100% about the hypocrisy in having different sets of rules for the humane treatment of 'pets vs farm animals'. That being said, my husband and I eat only certified "humane treated" animals which as an added health benefit is almost always organic.

Secondly however, it is NOT healthier being a "vegan", in fact, more and more studies are showing that it is "unhealthy" for humans to be vegan. Unfortunately, we are omnivores and not sufficiently adapted to eating only grains and vegetables... So we DO "need meat".

As a former vegan of 12 years having done much research into this, I can tell you the research is out there for all to see. If that is your choice fine but it is irresponsible to tell others that they will be healthier not eating meat (you may be feeling healthy now but eventually will start to develop deficiencies associated with veganism).

One good place to start if you would like more info on the dangers of being a vegan:

http://www.mercola.com/

[Marina56]

You may no longer be vegetarian or vegan, and that's your decision. However, to try to salve your conscience by claiming that you can't be healthy living a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle is simply ridiculous and self serving.


Humans can be perfectly healthy on an omni, a vegetarian, or vegan diet, and they can also be unhealthy on any of those diets. It all depends whether you eat junk or a well balanced assortment of protein, vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

[carnegie]

Oh you are full of it. So you find some article to back up your personal choice. There is reams of evidence that vegan is the heatheir lifestyle provided you get your protein. So save it, sister. I mean even mainstream Dr. Oz advocates a vegan lifestyle as the healthier one. He may be a celebrity doc but in NY here he is highly regarded as one of the top cardiologists in the country. I wonder if you'd find his opinion credible.

[mom4nohockeymom]

Where is the outrage against this woman? Is no one going to rally and picket? Forget PETA where is the NAACP? Oh I forgot, she is white and justice in not color blind.

[MeasleeMillion]

Where's PETA on this?.......amazing

[Gretel1or2]

President Obama needs to step up and renounce this kind of cruelty - no more dithering on this issue.

[bigfated]

Maybe turn her over to Cheney for waterboarding!

[bluntobject]

It sounds like she should go to prison, where she will no doubt meet many angry female inmates who miss their pets.

[socalcde]

All of this, and it's only a misdemeanor???

[qdog112]

What - no federal charges? Where all you law and order folks who still want Mike Vick in jail and unable to ply his trade/profession?

EXCUSES - BEGIN!

[LuckyLT2]

The picture on the front of the article will stop a LOTof folk from saying anything at all.

[wiseraven]

Exactly...a LI housewife does not sell as many magazines as a millionaire athlete of color! Nor can she be brought as low as he because she doesn't have as much to lose...Justice is definitely not blind.

[rocketdog56]

wiseraven, your racism is showing.

[rocketdog56]

no excuses here, they are both sc um!

[HHUA]

"federal charges"?

Was she running a "gambling ring"?

Unfortunately, animal cruelty of pets (not working or service animals) is only charged as a "misdemeanor" in most states, unlike running a gambling ring which IS a "felony"... and some states "dog fighting" is also a "felony" (warranting federal charges).

Perhaps the "excuse" is that you don't know anything about how our laws work?!

Do I think she should go to prison ABSOLUTELY... If it were up to me people like her AND MV would get put away for a long, LONG time!!! So please stop making EVERYTHING about RACE...

When you find a story about a "white" person running a DOG FIGHTING GAMBLING RING that doesn't go to jail... Then maybe you'll have a leg to stand on, otherwise you're the one making "excuses".

[tracykinn]

Actually.. You are unaware of how the laws work in New york. Animal cruelty can be a felony, and is punishable for a maximum of two years, which is what she should be charged, with not a misdemeanor. Though I do not believe her race has anything to do with the situation; and am hoping that eventually the prosecutor will increase the charges to a felony.

[vesaversa1]

Now i am wondering if this country two tier Justis system will also send this white women to a federal prison.

[zenwhenicanbe2]

black or white, you should go to prison for that type of activity.

[mom4nohockeymom]

well we all know that's not going to happen. she was only charged with a misdemeanor.

[HHUA]

How about a "two tier" spelling system?

It's "justice" not justis.

As for her going to jail... Yes, she should, however "animal hoarding" (which fosters this kind of neglect) is a known psychiatric illness unlike other types of animal abuse and people rarely go to prison for this. This has nothing to do with their "color" but because it's considered an "illness".

She also wasn't running a "gambling ring" was she? Sadly, people are FAR more likely to go to jail for sponsoring gambling than for animal abuse. Furthermore, "neglect" that results in death is never as harshly punished as "premeditated" abuse or murder... Not even in human crimes. For example, a parent who neglects a child that dies as a result will never get the same kind of sentence as someone who intentionally murdered a child... But you knew that right?

How disingenuous and transparent it is to pretend that you don't know the difference.

[carnegie]

Uh, she really doesn't fit the MO of a hoarder. ....but you knew that, right?

[Oblique]

If you want to feed homeless dogs and cats go to www. freekibble.com and answer 2 trivia questions each day (does not have to be the correct answer). One for cats and one for dogs. (takes less than a minute) Ten pieces of kibble will be donated for each question answered.

We should try to turn this negative (that woman) into a positive (feeding homeless dogs and cats)

[mom4nohockeymom]

or we could postively send her to prison like Michael Vick. Now that would be postive.

[John Robert]

Stop Global warning...