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TO: Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., District Attorney John F. Rowley (34th Judicial District), St. Bernard Parish President Henry J. Rodriguez, Jr., Louisiana District Attorneys Association, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu, Senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter

Honorable Officials of Louisiana:

My prayers are with Gulf coast cities as officials endeavor to rebuild in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. However, no city can renew itself without an underpinning of humanity.

That is why I have taken the time to contact you about the execution-style killing of family pets found inside Beauregard Middle School and Sebastien Roy Elementary School in St. Bernard Parish. Rising floodwaters forced people to take refuge at the schools. Upon further evacuation, they were ordered to leave their companions behind. Many scratched notes on walls or paper scraps: “There is a very nice dog in here. Please do not shoot her... Her name is Angel.”  

“Please save our dogs,” they begged. “We love them.” But despite the presence of food, water, collars, ID tags, and contact information—some 29 dogs and cats, a number of them tethered in what appeared to be a jet-ski two rope, were found shot to death. At the Beauregard Middle School, 14 dogs with bullet wounds in the body cavity testified to a prolonged death. Amid the carnage, investigators spotted shell casings consistent with the type law enforcers use.

The deliberate slaughter of pets is merciless. One cannot measure its psychological impact upon hurricane survivors who already lost everything.

It may also comprise a violation of state law. Louisiana RS 14:102.1 proclaims, in part, that whomever "intentionally or with criminal negligence tortures, maims, or mutilates any living animal, whether belonging to himself or another, shall be guilty of aggravated cruelty to animals."

On behalf of these animals and their distraught guardians, I respectfully ask you to rigorously investigate, prosecute and seek the conviction of individual(s) involved in the shooting of evacuees’ pets. If convicted, offenders ought to receive maximum penalties under the law. Law enforcers associated with this crime should be removed from active duty.

In early September Dallas Morning News photojournalist David Leeson videotaped Sgt. Mike Minton of the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s office randomly shooting displaced pets. When asked how many dogs he shot, Sgt. Minton replied, “Enough.” [http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/photography/2005/katrina_video/straydogs.html]

These are domestic animals, many considered family members. Neuropsychiatrist Carol A. Tavani, M.D., says she regularly witnesses “the powerful emotional bonds people form with their animal companions. Forcing disaster victims to abandon animals... is likely to inflict profound and persistent emotional trauma.”

Forcing them to accept police officers killed their pets is inadmissible. I implore you to do everything possible to apprehend those responsible for the shootings and to assure no more animals are senselessly killed.

Thank you,