Animal Abuse Getting A Pass In Spokane?

If you walked past a parked car and saw a little fellow like the one pictured, could you break into that car, pull the dog out and throw him against a wall just for sport?

Well, that's what happened in Spokane this past June 22. A Shih Tzu, Cocoa Butter, was watching the world go by from the comfort of her car while her people were in a downtown mall watching a movie. A couple of people approached the car, broke into it, pulled the dog out and threw her, by her leash, against the wall of City Hall and left her for dead. She nearly was.

Fortunately the incident was caught on surveillance cameras and the hunt began for an itinerant young man. Weeks passed without a trace even though substantial reward money was being offered. Meanwhile the owners of Cocoa Butter waited with baited breath to see if their pet would pull through. Money poured in for the expenses and slowly she inched back to life. She sustained severe nerve damage which remains. The degree of normality to be achieved as of now has yet to be determined.

The public outrage was palpable. Hub and I had our opinions as to what should be done when the man was caught and it wouldn't have been pleasant. Many felt the same. Animal lovers all! But it shouldn't be a requirement for such mindless violence.

Finally, the man turned up. He turned himself into the police and unbelievably he was let go because the prosecutor had not filed charges! Even worse the police hadn't asked for any to be filed! Why? Had it been one of their own dogs would they have been so complacent?

The alleged abuser, his attorney reminds us, is presumed innocent until proven otherwise. Well, it was caught on surveillance tape. You'd think that would be all the proof needed, but then it is Spokane and it is government.