How do you know the animals have been poisoned? Are vets telling you this, or are you just seeing a lot of animal bodies around? Is a LOT of animal poisoning 3 animals, or 12?

The police are it. A search of the SC Code of laws shows 47-1-40:
Whoever cruelly kills, or inflicts excessive pain or suffering upon any animal…is guilty of a felony and…imprisonment of not less than one hundred eighty days and not to exceed five years and by a fine of five thousand dollars.

Notice it says “cruelly kills”. If they shoot a menacing dog they are in the clear - after all - they use the firing squad on humans, and its not considered “cruel and unusual punishment”.

But - How do you prove who is doing it, and if it is on purpose? Did you watch them? Did someone set out a bowl of anti-freeze, or did they just dispose of it improperly (pouring it into the road maybe). Did they put out rat poison for rats, or your cat?
Unless you have proof positive that Mr. X did it - and by proof you have a video or photo of them in the act, not just “I know they hate animals”  - probably nothing will be done. The cops will come take a report and that’s all. Real life isn’t CSI. With endless budgets and special effects (and a hefty amount of B.S.), anyone could get caught.

The obvious solution to this is to keep your animal under control. Dont let the dog or cat roam the neighborhood and it wont get hurt.

The poisoners might not be sick, twisted people, but instead might just be tired of stepping in poop from dogs they dont own, having garbage cans overturned, having their porches smell like cat urine, listening to your dog bark all night, or having their posessions destroyed. They may even think they are poisoning strays that no one cares about. Or they could just be sick evil people who hate animals.

In poisonings you have two wrongs -
Animal owners careless enough to let the animals roam freely about other people’s property.
Non-Animal owners careless enough to poison other people’s property.

I cant say too much because i am afraid the person who is doing this will read this, but its anti-freeze,we have proof,and there doing it on purpos. They do it stary dogs and neighbors cats. They are doing this because they simple dont like the other neighbors. We all know whos doing it and how they are doing it but we dident know what to do. And we are talking about 5 cats poisoned in a week kind of thing. Thanks for the info.

I know of someone that had to move because of a neighbor with barking dogs. The person called the police and nothing was done. The dog owner is connected with the police somehow, and he gets away with it. It’s not the animals fault! It’s the owner that will not control the dogs!

jordan -
No one likes a spelling/grammar nazi schoolmarm, but at the same time - you need to at least look over your posts before hitting the send button. We’re all guilty of mistakes every now and then,  but when you don’t even seem to care how you type, you sound like a moron. Just words of advice.
Back on topic. Call the police and report it. Something may happen - or it may not. Again, if he is just putting out used antifreeze on his property, his defense might be “oh I was going to throw that out…”. If animal owners let their cats wander around uncontrolled - and they get on his property and drink it, its a lot harder to prove intent than say, if he threw a wad of poisoned meat over the fence.
I say one more time - there are two people at fault here. The man for putting the stuff out, and the pet owners for letting their pets wander. Why should others have to put up with your pet on their property? I don’t own a cat or dog, therefore I shouldn’t have to put up with poop and cat urine stench around my house. IF you have a pet, keep it under control. keep your dog on a leash or in the fence and your housecat in your house.

well maybe I am a moron because when im in a hurry to type something I really don’t care how its spelled or how it looks. I dont sit infront of the computer 24 hours a day and nit pick on how everything is misspelled, I have a job and I have like 10 minutes a day to get online. You better get used to seeing my misspelled words and what not because Its very unusual for me to check my spelling. Its not like im being graded here! Thats why i graduated from High schoool.

And btw, when it comes to people killing dog and cats because there"pooping and peeing” in their yards or wondering around its still crule and ASPCA DONT look over that!!! Thats like me going out and shooting every dog i see in my neighbor hood because its a dog or a cat! It is so crule to kill a living thing! These animals have lives just like you and me! No one should have the right to kill/ poison an animal just because its in their yard or poops and peeing. If that is the case call the Animal shelter and have them pick the animal up. Then the owner will have to go and get the animal and then they might put the aminal in thier house or in a fence. Even with strays, they are living beings and shouldent be killed beccause they hane no home!! Thats like killing a homeless person whos house burned down! I am really people! Does everyone in the south think like this?

If you are interested in discussing this with the press or on-camera, please e-mail me or call The Messenger office 332-6545 and leave a message, and someone will call you back tomorrow.

Is this in the city or county?