[dogmelissa]

Sorry I've been away so long... I've been stupid busy with my 2 jobs.

I agree with all of you.... :w all:

To answer a question about the judge: the biggest problem is that almost every single time I've been up there (omg, how many trips has that been??) it's been a different judge. The one judge way back last summer charged him a $1000 "bond" basically for delaying the court, as he'd seen Daniel 3 times with some lame excuse for why he hadn't shown up for something. Every other judge has only seen this case once, so really, it's not their fault. However, I would like to believe that the entire file gets handed to them for review before they hear the day's events and that any reasonable judge can see excuse after excuse after delay after delay and it'd be really nice if they'd just force something to happen faster. It's incredibly frustrating!

I was really hoping that Daniel would be convicted of assault and someone, somewhere in the justice system would realize that he's already taken that step from hurting animals to hurting people, and DO something! I honestly don't care if he goes to jail or not, but he needs to have some serious help--or something!

Urgh....
I don't even know what to say at this point. It's pretty much already been said.

It's so weird to think about how things have changed in my life since this all began. I wasn't even engaged when Daisy Duke was killed, and now I'm married. Ruby's son is getting married in March, and he also wasn't engaged when this started. I'll probably have given birth to my first child, that we're not even planning to try to conceive until September, before this is all over. And what has changed in Daniel's life? What about in T's? They can't meet each other in public (in Didsbury), and can't mail each other letters. That's about the only thing that has changed for them, I'm sure.

*sigh*
April still seems so far away, but I will update again with the next court date after that.

On a related topic, but a case I will not be following personally, here is another disgusting example of how horribly people can treat animals:
http://tinyurl.com/yquyfu

Dog's throat slit after neighbour loses patience
Pet had been seen loose on Sherwood Park property
Jeff Holubitsky and Trish Audette, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Thursday, February 21

STRATHCONA COUNTY - The death of a friendly neighbourhood dog named Sammy whose throat was slit has horrified people living in an acreage subdivision south of Sherwood Park.
"I was just shocked to hear somebody could do this to a dog," a tearful homeowner said Wednesday. "He was such a beautiful friendly dog."
She said residents of the Camelot Square neighbourhood have been talking about the medium-sized white dog's death since it happened on the weekend.
"It gets to me because I am an animal lover. It is disgusting," said the woman, who did not want to be identified.
She said the Sammy used to wander the neighbourhood and would play with the other dogs, including her own.
"Everybody is just really upset," she said.
A small memorial to Sammy, with a picture of him gently lying beside a calf, has been set up at the entrance of one homes. Most of the people questioned about the dog's death, including a woman who said she was his owner, said the matter was under investigation by the Strathcona County RCMP and refused to comment.
Another neighbour was in disbelief over what he had heard, because the person people suspect killed the dog is "an easy-going guy."
"I don't really know what is behind this," he said. "I find it hard to believe. ... It's scary."
Strathcona County RCMP said the dog was found with its throat slit behind its owners' shed Saturday night.
Cpl. Darren Anderson said the dog had been running loose in the subdivision, near Range Road 233 and Township Road 520, on Saturday afternoon when it ran onto another property and got into a fight with a smaller dog. Both dogs received minor injuries, the RCMP said.
The fight was broken up, and children playing nearby were not injured.
Hours later, at about 6:30 p.m., a man came after Sammy, police said.
The man tied a rope around his neck, saying he was tired of the Sammy coming onto his property, police said.
The neighbour who was caring for the dog followed the man until she heard a loud cry of an animal in distress, Anderson said. "It sounded like the dog was being slaughtered, (in) her words."
The dog was found dead soon after and the RCMP were contacted.
No charges have been laid, but the investigation continues. The RCMP has the power to charge a person under both the Animal Protection Act of Alberta and with animal cruelty under the Criminal Code.
"That is pretty shocking," said Edmonton SPCA spokeswoman Diane Shannon.
"The fact that the RCMP are involved is really positive."
The Alberta SPCA is not involved in the investigation.
"Obviously, somebody thought they were taking matters into their own hands and made a bad choice," Anderson said.

Continuation of this story here:
http://tinyurl.com/3dbm9d

Charges laid in dog slaying
By RENATO GANDIA, SUN MEDIA
The Edmonton Sun

The dogsitter of a pooch whose throat was fatally slashed south of Sherwood Park earlier this month said she's relieved police have laid charges.
"I was very happy to hear that justice is going to be served," said Patricia, who declined to give her last name.
"I did have fears that nothing would be done and wondering what it would do to ... people who want to stand up against something wrong."
Sammy, a white mixed-breed dog, was found with its throat slit behind its owner's shed on the evening of Feb. 16 in the Camelot Square subdivision near Range Road 233 and Township Road 520.
Strathcona County RCMP said the dog was running loose around 1:30 p.m. that day, when it ran onto a neighbouring property and got into a fight with a dog.
About five hours later, the neighbour came home and allegedly showed up at Patricia's house and led Sammy away.
"He said he's going to see the owner and left," Patricia told Sun Media.
Patricia said she immediately tried to contact Sammy's owner by phone. And when she couldn't reach her, Patricia ran out of her house in search of Sammy.
"I heard a horrific sound, like something was being slaughtered. I came running home and I said to my husband, 'I think she was killed.'"
Strathcona County RCMP later found the dog with its throat slit behind its owner's shed.
"I'm sad and very angry at the same time. This should not have happened," Patricia said.
Patricia said she has known the accused dog killer for about 10 years and has never thought of him as a violent man.
She hasn't spoken to him since Sammy was killed and added she probably won't ever talk to him again.
Yesterday afternoon, the neighbourhood was quiet. But Patricia said everyone is still reeling and talking about the horrific death of an innocent dog.
"I think this is going to be a lesson for everybody."
Edmonton's Voice for Animals is also pleased police have laid charges.
"It's a good first step and I hope the authorities prosecute him to the full extent of the law because he's an adult," said spokesman Tove Reece.
Shawn Eugene Rankin, 42, has been charged with one count of unlawfully killing an animal.
He is slated to appear in Sherwood Park Provincial Court on April 9.
Patricia said she's going to follow the case because Sammy was a part of her family.
"We have to fight for her; somebody has to fight for her."

*sigh* There really is nothing else to say. I try to keep my nose out of the news because I keep finding things like this (or the case of the cat that was microwaved to death by 2 teens in Camrose, AB) that make me throw up.

Melissa