Firefighter Faces Jail for Killing Dogs

[Beach]

I just read this on cnn.com. This is so wrong. This guy kills his dogs because he was going on vacation and couldn't afford to board them. First he said they got into antifreeze so he killed them to put them out of their misery. When officials performed a necropsy, they discovered there was no poison in either dogs' systems. That's when the firefighter admitted to shooting them because he couldn't afford to board them.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/08/firefighter.kills.dogs/index.html

Unbelivable! :mad:

[Noahs ARK]

From the link....

Columbus firefighter David P. Santuomo, 43, took Sloopy and Skeeter to his home's basement, suspended them from a pipe near the ceiling and fired at least 11 shots from a .22-caliber rifle fitted with a homemade silencer, Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Ron J. O'Brien said.

Suspended them from a pipe near the ceiling?? :cursing:

Those poor dogs. :crying:

[Beach]

From the link....

Columbus firefighter David P. Santuomo, 43, took Sloopy and Skeeter to his home's basement, suspended them from a pipe near the ceiling and fired at least 11 shots from a .22-caliber rifle fitted with a homemade silencer, Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Ron J. O'Brien said.

Suspended them from a pipe near the ceiling?? :cursing:

Those poor dogs. :crying:

Sicko! They should do the same to him!

Would you want this guy coming out to your house on a call? I know I certainly wouldn't.

Those poor dogs is right, Noah. :crying:

[Noahs ARK]

Sicko! They should do the same to him!

Would you want this guy coming out to your house on a call? I know I certainly wouldn't.

Those poor dogs is right, Noah. :crying:

No - I sure wouldn't want him coming to my house! In fact, when we moved into this house, I took a drive over the the fire station and ASKED them how they handle a fire with so many animals in the house.

My vet has animals deserted there after they've been boarded. She tries to find them homes and if she can't find homes for them, they go out to her farm to live. She refuses to put them to sleep - bless her heart!

[Debb]

It sounds like there may be some mental health issues there. Don't people ever watch Animal Cops? Time after time they tell people to just call if you can't continue to care for your animal. They will be pick them up, provide care and try to find them a home. Why can't people understand this?????

[crocdog1]

Will somebody please tell me something?

Why in the world would anybody who feels this way about dogs, take one as a pet.

After all, there are many ways to get rid of a dog if you cannot afford to take care of it.

Did he ask his friends, relatives, co-workers, etc?

Worse comes to worse, he could have surrendered them to the Dog Pound. I realize that many of these dogs are eventually killed, but at least they would have had a small chance to go to a loving home.

Anybody that would do this to a dog, must not have had any love for them to begin with.

[Noahs ARK]

Also from the link....

Santuomo was sentenced to 90 days in jail, to be served in 10-day increments over the next two years. He also has to pay $4,500 in restitution, perform 200 hours of community service, stay away from companion animals for five years and write a letter of apology to be published in the local newspaper and the International Association of Firefighters magazine, the humane society's Miller said.

Santuomo's attorney said that his client is remorseful over his actions and that people need to temper their outrage. "It's the same old story. They couldn't care less about people and they love animals," lawyer Sam Shamansky said.

Look at what his attorney says! :cursing:

For all we know, this guy is lying about WHY he killed those dogs. I'm willing to bet that's just his excuse to TRY to get pity from the court. "I couldn't afford the boarding fees." Bah!

[withay]

Also from the link....

Santuomo was sentenced to 90 days in jail, to be served in 10-day increments over the next two years. He also has to pay $4,500 in restitution, perform 200 hours of community service, stay away from companion animals for five years and write a letter of apology to be published in the local newspaper and the International Association of Firefighters magazine, the humane society's Miller said.

Santuomo's attorney said that his client is remorseful over his actions and that people need to temper their outrage. "It's the same old story. They couldn't care less about people and they love animals," lawyer Sam Shamansky said.

Look at what his attorney says! :cursing:

For all we know, this guy is lying about WHY he killed those dogs. I'm willing to bet that's just his excuse to TRY to get pity from the court. "I couldn't afford the boarding fees." Bah!

He's right, I couldn't care less about people who treat animals that way!

[kitty1182]

:flamemad::flamemad::flamemad:

[WillowInFlight]

Will somebody please tell me something?

Why in the world would anybody who feels this way about dogs, take one as a pet.

After all, there are many ways to get rid of a dog if you cannot afford to take care of it.

Did he ask his friends, relatives, co-workers, etc?

Worse comes to worse, he could have surrendered them to the Dog Pound. I realize that many of these dogs are eventually killed, but at least they would have had a small chance to go to a loving home.

Anybody that would do this to a dog, must not have had any love for them to begin with.

ITA, and then he bragged about it. :cursing: I don't understand why he is only getting 90 days.

[crocdog1]

He's right, I couldn't care less about people who treat animals that way!

The only remorse this guy has is that he has to pay for what he has done.

Just Imagine, he fed these dogs. He have them shelter. He walked them, etc.

He spent untold hours in the company of these dogs, who gave him unconditional love.

And he actually tortured them when he killed them.

What is most distrubing to me is that eventually this guy will have the legal right to have other dogs.. American justice in it's most grotesque outrageous form.

[Mr. Moto2]

and when he finishes his sentence he should leave town. I don't think the community will forget this in 90 days or even 5 years (time till he can own a dog again). Its so creepy isn't it? He didn't just kill them; he tortured them. If he couldn't afford to board them he could have given them up - so he is clearly lying about that! He wanted to hurt them. Unforgiveable!

Yes, I agree, he wanted to kill his dogs and he enjoyed doing it IMO. And it's all the more worse that he was a fireman. This guy should have a choice word carved deeply into his forehead.

[mafitz701]

It would be nice to say that this guy is a fluke but there are so many people with dogs that absolutely have no business owning them. I wish the prisoners hated animal abusers as much as they hate child molesters and rapists, that way at least their would be some chance of real justice when the losers go to prison.

[sunstar]

Also from the link....

Santuomo was sentenced to 90 days in jail, to be served in 10-day increments over the next two years. He also has to pay $4,500 in restitution, perform 200 hours of community service, stay away from companion animals for five years and write a letter of apology to be published in the local newspaper and the International Association of Firefighters magazine, the humane society's Miller said.

Santuomo's attorney said that his client is remorseful over his actions and that people need to temper their outrage. "It's the same old story. They couldn't care less about people and they love animals," lawyer Sam Shamansky said.

Look at what his attorney says! :cursing:

For all we know, this guy is lying about WHY he killed those dogs. I'm willing to bet that's just his excuse to TRY to get pity from the court. "I couldn't afford the boarding fees." Bah!

This whole thing is just totally disgusting. :flamemad: To the attorney, yes there are some people who care more about animals than we do heartless, evil humans like your client. No one who loves an animal would kill it (especially the way these poor dogs were) just because he can't afford boarding fees while he takes a lousy vacation. I'd love to hear that this guy also lost his job. MOO

[sunstar]

He's right, I couldn't care less about people who treat animals that way!

I'm with you! :flamemad: He also shouldn't have a job where he is supposed to save lives and rescue animals from burning buildings.

[R~O~S]

This whole thing is just totally disgusting. :flamemad: To the attorney, yes there are some people who care more about animals than we do heartless, evil humans like your client. No one who loves an animal would kill it (especially the way these poor dogs were) just because he can't afford boarding fees while he takes a lousy vacation. I'd love to hear that this guy also lost his job. MOO


Not just a vacation, a cruise. He can afford a cruise, but he can't afford to board his animals, or hire a neighbor kid to come by and take care of them a couple of times a day, or drop them off at the nearest shelter, or dump them 50 miles from home (at least they'd have had a chance) rather than torture them.

But he could afford a cruise. :flamemad:

[sunstar]

Not just a vacation, a cruise. He can afford a cruise, but he can't afford to board his animals, or hire a neighbor kid to come by and take care of them a couple of times a day, or drop them off at the nearest shelter, or dump them 50 miles from home (at least they'd have had a chance) rather than torture them.

But he could afford a cruise. :flamemad:

Yes a cruise makes it even worse ~ those cost money. It's clear he never really loved the dogs at all. The words that best describe him can't be put here. :flamemad:

[R~O~S]

Yes a cruise makes it even worse ~ those cost money. It's clear he never really loved the dogs at all. The words that best describe him can't be put here. :flamemad:

For heavens sakes I have to go to Virginia for my sons wedding, I've fussed and fretted over who I'd allow to kennel my dog, not if I'd kennel my dog & believe me if I could take him with me I would!!

The kitties are easy, the little girls next door will take good care of them.

The birds are easy, the teenage boy to the other side will take good care of them.

The dog, he's a big dog. I need him to be safe and with someone who won't create issues while I'm gone. Someone who wouldn't be careless enough to let him get loose. Usually my other son takes care of him if we're away. He sleeps here so Dakota's schedule isn't upset (OK I may be a tad over protective, lol). I'm kinda insisting he needs to go to his brothers wedding, so he's not available. :smile:

Dakota will be vacationing with our trainer for the week, our dog whisperer, and it's worth every penny.

[sunstar]

For heavens sakes I have to go to Virginia for my sons wedding, I've fussed and fretted over who I'd allow to kennel my dog, not if I'd kennel my dog & believe me if I could take him with me I would!!

The kitties are easy, the little girls next door will take good care of them.

The birds are easy, the teenage boy to the other side will take good care of them.

The dog, he's a big dog. I need him to be safe and with someone who won't create issues while I'm gone. Someone who wouldn't be careless enough to let him get loose. Usually my other son takes care of him if we're away. He sleeps here so Dakota's schedule isn't upset (OK I may be a tad over protective, lol). I'm kinda insisting he needs to go to his brothers wedding, so he's not available. :smile:

Dakota will be vacationing with our trainer for the week, our dog whisperer, and it's worth every penny.

I know what you're saying! Before we adopted our indoor cats, we babysat a friend's German Shepherd several times while he went out of town. I think this was just a sick excuse the perp gave and it had nothing to do with not finding anybody to take care of them. People who have been forced into homelessness haven't even done what he did. MOO

[R~O~S]

I know what you're saying! Before we adopted our indoor cats, we babysat a friend's German Shepherd several times while he went out of town. I think this was just a sick excuse the perp gave and it had nothing to do with not finding anybody to take care of them. People who have been forced into homelessness haven't even done what he did. MOO

The son who's getting married lives in NYC. His favorite homeless man, has two dogs. These are the most well behaved dogs, my son is amazed by them. They're never on a leash, they don't need one. They stay by their masters side, they don't bother the pedestrians, they wait to be told it's ok to approach someone. They're clean, well groomed and the three of them huddle together at night to sleep. The dogs eat before the homeless man.

My son won't give him money, but he passes him bags of dog food a couple of times a week. Small bags because he has to lug them around.

Nope, even the homeless wouldn't do this to their fur families.

[sunstar]

The son who's getting married lives in NYC. His favorite homeless man, has two dogs. These are the most well behaved dogs, my son is amazed by them. They're never on a leash, they don't need one. They stay by their masters side, they don't bother the pedestrians, they wait to be told it's ok to approach someone. They're clean, well groomed and the three of them huddle together at night to sleep. The dogs eat before the homeless man.

My son won't give him money, but he passes him bags of dog food a couple of times a week. Small bags because he has to lug them around.

Nope, even the homeless wouldn't do this to their fur families.

That's a wonderful story ~ and bless your son for helping out. :wub:

[crocdog1]

Did this filth lose his job? It certainly doesn't appear to be so.

In fact, IMO, the judge seemed to give him a very light sentence.

[R~O~S]

Did this filth lose his job? It certainly doesn't appear to be so.

In fact, IMO, the judge seemed to give him a very light sentence.

I tried to find out for you Croc, but I don't think it's decided yet & we may not know when it is.

This article says it's dependent on a disciplinary hearing with Fire Chief Ned Pettus.

This article seems to have a few details we didn't see originally:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/06/25/fire_dog.ART_ART_06-25-09_A1_DSE9JB8.html

The dogs were adopted from the humane society in 2007, they would have taken them back.

Two neighbors offered to watch the dogs for him while he was on vacation.

He lied to both his ex and children regarding what happened to the dogs, and he did so via text message.

& just to show what a sweetheart this waste of skin is, he gave the finger to reporters in the courtroom.

No wonder the judge was so accommodating. :cursing:

[Rangerx1]

The guy is a waste of air! I really don't care if people think that my concerns go fully for these poor dogs than him. His lame excuse of the cost when he's going on vacation is unreal. My 3 dogs never get kenneled as one has really bad issues being caged around strange dogs. I was a nervous wreck when work was going to force me to go fill in out of state or be fired for an undetermined amount of time and I wasn't sure what to do with them. Luckily my brother and sister volunteered to alternate staying at my house to take care of them. His actions I just can't understand.