PETA Workers Abduct Virginia Hunting Dog
Although not surprising on some levels it is also somewhat unbelievable that anyone would steal someone else’s dog. The animal rights wackos need to have the book thrown at them for this stunt. You may not agree with the use of dogs for hunting but nothing gives you the right to obstruct, harass, or interfere with the lawful activity. Here in NC it is now illegal to remove a hunting dogs’ tracking collar as we reported in an earlier post.
NORFOLK - Two employees from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have been charged with abducting a hunting dog in Southampton County.
About 10 a.m. Wednesday, a witness reported seeing two women in a vehicle with PETA markings take the dog from the side of Meherrin Road, said Detective Cpl. Richard Morris of the Southampton County Sheriff’s Office.
A witness alerted the county animal control officer - who happened to own the dog. The officer stopped the vehicle soon after and, finding his dog inside, turned the case over to a colleague, Morris said.
The dog’s radio tracking collar had been removed and was found near where the women reportedly picked up the animal, Morris added.
The two women were released and not charged at the time, Morris said. Arrest w arrants were issued later.
Morris identified the two as Carrie Beth Edwards, 26, of Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, and Andrea Florence Benoit, 25, of Henwick Court, Chesapeake.
Each has been charged with grand larceny and petit larceny for taking the dog and radio collar, respectively.
The two women are expected to surrender at the sheriff’s office today, Morris said.
PETA issued a statement Thursday saying the two had done nothing wrong.
“They found a dog alongside a busy highway and picked her up for her own safety,” the statement read. “That’s what we tell everyone to do when they encounter strays - stop and assist.”
The statement said the women were calling in the dog’s tag numbers to the PETA office to help find the owner when they were approached by the officer who owned the dog, which they immediately turned over.
There is no leash law in Southampton County, Morris said, so dogs are allowed to run free. PETA said its workers did not know this, adding that this law “needs to be changed for the animals’ own safety.”
I’m sure the tracking collar just fell off before the Wackos picked the dog up. They should charge them with theft and hunter harassment as a minimal.
I don’t understand how a group like PETA that has ties to domestic terrorist groups is allowed to still exist.
Cool story brotha. Wish you could have got one, after all the head ache. T.
Having been an avid coon hunter, I’ve had many incidents where my dogs were either restrained or picked up by people while hunting. Luckily, most of the time it was done with good intentions by people unfamiliar with hounds and coon hunting, but a couple were by real jerks. Never once though did I encounter anyone connected with PETA or any such organization who did anything to the dogs.
Comment by Cliff — October 30, 2006 @ 11:55 am
Hunters have done more for wildlife conservation then those jerks at PETA ever will i mean while money from the sales of hunting licens and tags go for wildlife PETA would rather spend their on trashy propeganda running around in dopey costumes and pulling stupid stunts
Comment by seasick seagull — November 26, 2006 @ 5:13 pm
[...] a hunting dog on the side of a Virginia road will proceed but only one still faces charges. I posted on this story when it broke last fall. The dog is owned by Deputy Sheriff J.T. Cooke Jr. who was fox hunting the night before with the [...]
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