Military Animal Abuse

Most of you are undoubtedly already aware of the furor over the video of the Marine throwing a puppy off a cliff. (We are not including a link to the video.) The response to this, according to one source, has overwhelmed the email systems of several Marine offices. We're not sure whether their systems are overwhelmed or merely shut down so they don't have to deal with the mass of angry emails.

We say this because our Jan obtained four email addresses and sent out four messages. Immediately - we repeat, immediately -she received this automated response from a Brigadier General Robert E. Milstead, Jr.: I will be out of the office for the remainder of the week but will continue to monitor email on my Blackberry. For those emailing me concerning the video of a Marine mistreating a puppy, I can tell you that this video is both shocking and deplorable - these actions are contrary to the high standards we expect from our Marines. The Marine Corps has initiated an investigation; we do not tolerate this type of behavior and will take appropriate action.

Now, this didn't make a big impression because immediately - again repeat, immediately - on its heels was an undeliverable message for all four addresses, including the BGen, a General, a Colonel and the Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Public Affairs Office. Kind of hard to monitor email that's been returned to sender, we would think. But then, we're just "dumb" animals.

On the blog of Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO, of the Humane Society United States, we learned Pacelle sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates requesting support in including an "explicit prohibition" against cruelty to all animals in the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice).

"In his letter today, Pacelle urged Gates to take agency-wide steps to raise awareness of the relationship between cruelty to animals and socially maladapted behavior.

"Such instances of cruelty are objectionable in their own right, but take on special urgency as we welcome American military personnel home from the war zone,” Pacelle wrote. “While only a few incidents of this kind have come to light, we worry about the psychological stability of those who could perpetrate such vicious acts against the most vulnerable of creatures."

If your humans are interested in actively helping in this campaign, they can click on the link in the blog story (or click here to go directly to the letter page) and send a message to Judge Effron, Chief Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and ask him to to include cruelty to all animals in the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

There is a section where you can edit the letter and write your own comments.

Jan wrote this: I have viewed the video of the Marine deliberately throwing the puppy off a cliff - and laughing about it. I have viewed the video of two servicemen torturing a dog with 2 broken rear legs - and laughing about it. I have viewed the video of military hooligans tossing some type of explosive devices into - I believe it was a group of sheep at the side of the road - and laughing about it. There are undoubtedly other such videos circulating the web, as well as many acts that are not documented on a cell phone. Any act of cruelty to animals is abhorrent and should be punished.

And we agree. If you agree, ask your human to click on the link and send a letter to Judge Effron.

PS - We have been asked whether any who live outside the US can send a letter. We checked and there is a drop down menu for you to choose your country, so the answer would be yes. And it might help the animals for the judge to hear from other countries. So, to anyone from another country who signs - thanks from your furry friends at JFF and elsewhere in the United States.