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Amish Men Accused of Animal Cruelty Defend Their Actions ("In the Amish it’s acceptable")
WHAM News, Rochester NY ^ | 1/31 11:40 pm | Reported by: Jane Flasch

Posted on 02/01/2013 6:15:09 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines

Clyde, N.Y. - Two Amish men from Wayne County are accused of killing a litter of healthy puppies and their mother.

“This is simply a case of animal cruelty,” says Wayne County District Attorney Rick Healy who intends to charge the pair.

The nine dead dogs were discovered in a compost pile and reported to police January 17th.

Merlin Schumacher who owns the dogs says he was trying to breed Australian Red Heelers, but when he couldn’t sell the dogs and they became “too big” he asked an employee to shoot them.

Jonathan Eicher agreed to put the dogs down.

“In the Amish it’s acceptable to put dogs down. I thought as long as you did it out back it was okay,” Eicher told police. Eicher referred to what he called “the three S’s: shoot, shovel, and shut up.”

That is where Amish custom and New York law clash. New York A.G. and Market Laws prevent the killing of otherwise healthy animals for no reason.

“They need to understand that it is illegal,” says DA Healy. “They can’t treat the animals the way they want to treat the animals they must treat the animals humanely.”

Schumacher, who owns the dogs, told police he had “raised the dogs and couldn’t put them down myself so I asked Jonathan to do it.”

Both men now face nine counts of unjustifiably killing an animal which is a misdemeanor.

Schumacher was charged Wednesday, Eicher expected to be charged Wednesday evening.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: New York
KEYWORDS: amish; cruelty; dogs; puppymills
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To: READINABLUESTATE
We are such bedwetters these days it makes me want to vomit.

Totally spot on.

People treat their dogs better than their neighbors these days. It's crazy.

And they're weak.

I don't want to get too far off topic but I think it fits. I can talk about any topic rationally. I rarely get baited by trolls. Except the topic of gun control. When that topic comes up I lose my mind. It's not a pretty sight. I totally freak out.

Just like you said, people today are bedwetters. A farmer put down some dogs. Ok. And what's the problem again?? To me this is just taking care of business.

Not everything in the world revolves around some stupid inner city concrete jungle.

If you actually live out in the world you see life and death every day. A raccoon gets into the chicken coop. A hawk snatches up a rabbit. It's time to slaughter a pig. Welcome to the real world people. So a farmer had to kill a dog, so frigg'n what???!

I can't wait till the first person accuses me of "Euthanizing" a pig! LoL! Umm no I didn't euthanize it. I blew it's brains out with whatever gun I felt like shooting that day. Then I strung it up by it's feet. Stuck a knife in it's butt and I slit it all the way down it's neck. Dumped it's guts into a wheel barrow, cut it's head off and took the body to a local butcher. The butcher chopped up the remains and sent the pieces back to me where I gave it an very ungentle, uncaring, unceremonial burial in my freezer.

If you think that's bad you should see what I do to fluffy bunny rabbits. Muahahah!

I know... I'm evil... some gun grabber has probably already reported me to 15 government agencies.
61 posted on 02/01/2013 8:46:06 AM PST by MeOnTheBeach
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To: SatinDoll

” but dogs will fight to the death to protect their owners.”

Not necessarily. Some dogs will kill their owners.

Lots of them won’t do either (kill them or protect them).


62 posted on 02/01/2013 8:46:46 AM PST by Persevero (Homeschooling for Excellence since 1992)
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To: MrB
Which would be more effective:
“No Trespassing”
or
“Danger: Snakes on Premises”

:)


HAHAHA! Oh yea!

Good one! I bet would work... I'll put some thought into it. :)
63 posted on 02/01/2013 8:50:41 AM PST by MeOnTheBeach
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To: yldstrk

“.. See how it could be? That’s how I want it. . .”

Me, too. Someday soon, the earth shall be full of His knowledge and glory as the waters that cover the sea . . There’s a little more to endure before that happens; but not much more.


64 posted on 02/01/2013 8:54:21 AM PST by Twinkie (JOHN 3:16)
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To: MeOnTheBeach

Beats "Beware of Dog" any day.
65 posted on 02/01/2013 8:55:04 AM PST by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: Pecos

Take care of things without involving the government, and you are defined as “inhumane”.

<><><><><

I am unclear as to what you think the guys in this story “took care of”.

Not really getting your comparison to kill shelters, which actively try to place the animals in homes, but failing that have few other options other than to euthanize. I know a lot of rescue operations get their dogs from kill shelters.

Since the dogs would have meant money in their pockets if sold, seems they fulfilled other needs with these dogs.

Waiting for the - the dogs were their private property and they can do as they wish - post that is found in every dead dog thread.


66 posted on 02/01/2013 9:18:22 AM PST by dmz
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To: Eska

Why are we equating the putting down of old, sick dogs with a healthy mom and her healthy puppies.

What you describe is exactly right. When it’s your old friend’s time, you gotta do it. And there is no state in the union that would arrest you for animal cruelty under those circumstances.

What happened in this case sounds like sport killing. And I wasn’t there so I’m speculating.


67 posted on 02/01/2013 9:32:26 AM PST by dmz
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To: MeOnTheBeach

Too many dogs and cats in this country any ways. Kittens are great until they grow up, get loose, go feral, have tons of kittens, and wipe out every bird, rabbit, etc in the area. I hate them.

Dogs are the same way. Except that the dogs pack up and then - they.come.after.you.


Where do you live?

I have lived in the country for nearly 40 years. We have feral cats. We also have tons and tons of all sorts of birds, rabbits and assorted other critters, some of them plain vermin. No matter how many baby bunnies the dogs eat, somehow, my driveway is still full of them every summer evening and my garden is raided, as well. Probably, we feed the dogs too well. Only the beagle would always chase any rabbit he saw.

We have a large Amish population, too. Some breed dogs. The animal control people and the vets think there are more looses, abandoned dogs from the *English* breeders than from the Amish.

I have had more visits from the neighbors’ cows than from a feral dog pack. However, the very few dog packs are really domesticated dogs that run away and then join up in a pack. Some are home at night and running wild during the day. They are far less dangerous and less of a nuisance than the coyotes. Usually, just yelling and telling them to “Go home” works well. The sight of a gun and a shot over their heads will do it, too. Most dogs hate the smell of gunpowder and the shots hurt their ears.

Even though everyone hunts, I have nearly been run down by romping pairs of yearling deer while berry picking. A neighbor no longer goes berry picking, because her last time included a bear encounter. These can be more dangerous to humans than any other animal, including the coyote packs.

As for feral kittens, most don’t survive. The hawks and owls are always looking for a snack and if they don’t get them, coyotes do. Some “feral” cats have homes, but go out bumming when they can. The cats do a good job of keeping mice and vole populations down, as do some breeds of dog.

I wonder if the lead dog in your story sensed your intentions and that is why he challenged you?


68 posted on 02/01/2013 9:49:04 AM PST by reformedliberal
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To: Persevero
I don’t think it’s right than an animal shelter can kill the dogs but a private citizen can’t.

Just off the top of my head...

The animal shelter uses a drug that is supposed to kill the dog peacefully.

The animal shelter isn't going to potentially miss or just wound the pet the first time.

The animal shelter isn't killing the dogs in front of family members.

The animal shelter is authorized by law to it, after presumably getting proper training.

With all due respect, your comment is foolish. You might as well say "I don't think it's right that a doctor can perform surgery, but a private citizen can't" or "I don't think it's right that President Bush can invade Iraq but a private citizen can't."

Try and develop a little perspective in your life.

69 posted on 02/01/2013 10:15:27 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
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To: reformedliberal
We have feral cats. We also have tons and tons of all sorts of birds, rabbits and assorted other critters, some of them plain vermin.

The moles are the worst. They eat the root off everything. Especially when they get in a flower bed.

No matter how many baby bunnies the dogs eat, somehow, my driveway is still full of them every summer evening and my garden is raided,

I enjoy them. The issue I have is that feral cats is they are an introduced animal. Linx and the fox are welcome to sniff around all they want.

When I find song birds dead in the yard I get pissed. But that's a rare occasion anymore.

I have had more visits from the neighbors’ cows than from a feral dog pack.

Yup! hahah!

However, the very few dog packs are really domesticated dogs that run away and then join up in a pack.

Agreed. In the instance that I described, the dogs circled me, one dog at each point on the compass. A lab at north and a rottweiler at south. The other two were just a couple mutts that didn't amount to much. Every time I turned to face the rot, the lab would "gruff, growl, and huff". It was very clear what he was doing, keeping my attention, while the rottie moved in from behind. It was the creepiest thing I've ever felt. Like I was in one of those wild life shows...

I ran at the lab with the hoe raised and yelled... and he stood his ground... I was like, what the...???

Now here's the rest of the story... I had my SUV near by and had left one of the doors open. I turned back to look for the rottweiler and he was gone. That's when the lab lost his nerve and ran away with the other dogs.

That rottweiler had seen my open door and something triggered in her...time for a ride...it jumped in and went to the very back seat of my SUV.

I had to call the sheriff's office to send a deputy to get the dog out of my vehicle. The deputy tried to get the dog out but decided it was hostile and called county animal control. Which took nearly an hour to get out to my place.

A neighbor no longer goes berry picking, because her last time included a bear encounter. These can be more dangerous to humans than any other animal, including the coyote packs.

That's always a concern of course. Coyote's can be dangerous. I'm more concerned for rabid raccoons, though. Raccoons in general are vermin.

Friend of mine has a farm out in Colorado. He has a canal running with in 100 feet of his house. His big concern is beaver. Beaver come up the water way and chew through the trees near his house. He's had to put chicken wire all around the trees. He says they can down a large tree in a single night and drop it right through your house. When one dropped a dropped a tree through his garage one night, he started shooting them.
70 posted on 02/01/2013 10:44:46 AM PST by MeOnTheBeach
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

I really don’t think your analogies pertain to this situation. I SAID I don’t think torture should be allowed.

The animal shelter uses a drug that is supposed to kill the dog peacefully. - well, a bullet to the head is quick and painless

The animal shelter isn’t going to potentially miss or just wound the pet the first time. - I think the odds of a shelter doing euthanasia wrong are about the same. It is hard to miss when you have a gun right up to a head. Sure, it could misfire, but at the shelter a needle could break or a machine could malfunction.

The animal shelter isn’t killing the dogs in front of family members. - I don’t think the Amish did that, either, nor do they advocate it.

The animal shelter is authorized by law to it, after presumably getting proper training. - I think this is bogus, you don’t need to be trained how to shoot a dog in the head.

I have a perfectly good perspective on life. Dogs are not people.


71 posted on 02/01/2013 11:17:46 AM PST by Persevero (Homeschooling for Excellence since 1992)
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To: Persevero
Dogs are not people.

Correct and you will note that these defendants were not charged with murder or any other homicide offense.

Your lack of perspective is in ignoring the law already draws distinctions to make clear that this is not the same as killing a person.

The issue here was did the defendants engage in unjustified acts. The facts seem to indicate they did. The dogs weren't sick. They weren't being harvested for food or clothing. They could have been given away. The could have been peacefully euthanized. None of that was considered. Instead, the defendants just cavalierly shot a group of dogs because "their culture" said it was better to just "shoot shovel and shut up" (their words). That is essentially an admission on their part that this was done for convenience and to cover up what they did.

72 posted on 02/01/2013 11:32:30 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
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To: MeOnTheBeach

We are on our 2nd Akita. They are death on moles. Leave the yard looking like a minefield, but the moles at least migrate out to the fallow pasture.

You did have an unusual dog pack experience, IMO. Big dogs, like our Akitas, are usually confident enough that when facing down a larger dog or being territorial, one deep *WUFF* is all they do. I only get scared when a dog is on alert, has his lips skinned back, his ears up, back hair bristled and is slavering while barking/growling. Lips, hair and muzzle are the key cues, IMO. All my dogs seem to have an instinctive fear of a broom, though.

That Rottie obviously had been a pet, if it knew about cars. Sometimes I think people just can’t handle the large working breeds and tend to make them outside dogs and so, the dogs escape jail and go out on their own. Our 1st Akita was a showup and I think that was his story. Our vet was pretty sure he came from a breeder who had many different breeds and the dogs just didn’t get socialized to a human pack.

The worst thing about feral cats, for me, is that they beat up on my 15-year-old cat, although she is savvy about hiding. The late Akita was *his* cat’s protector, but would chase off any strange one. Don’t know yet about the puppy...he’s too young to have any real discernment. He is death on voles, though! We’ll see what he’s made of after he’s neutered and if he calms down enough to be allowed off leash or out of his pen. We’re planning on moving in a year, so we’ll have to re-acclimate him to a new territory, then. Once he’s 3 or so, he should be more trustworthy. Right now, he’s just lunch, so he stays inside, on leash when out or in his large pen for playtime.

Right on about the beavers. We let the local trappers set traps, not that it does much good and then we have to worry about them ourselves. Destructive beasts.

When our old guy died, the coyotes had a wake. They sang all night. Now, they know the pup is here and they are staying out of sight and are quieter. We see tracks and scat, of course, but they are warier. He’s only 5 months old, but already over 60 pounds. One day, he’ll be formidable. That’s at least a year away, though.

As a landowner, we can kill beaver and coyote if need be. Coon and possum usually don’t stick around an adult Akita, though. If they do, they quickly become chew toys.


73 posted on 02/01/2013 11:43:43 AM PST by reformedliberal
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To: oh8eleven

“In the Amish it’s acceptable”
If so, how long before Sharia Law becomes acceptable?
............
Now this is really stupid.

Every animal shelter in the country puts dogs down.

your tax dollars at work or those of a local charity.


74 posted on 02/01/2013 11:59:46 AM PST by ckilmer
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To: MrB
by what standard are you equating animal life with human life?

Humans are not animals? They're not vegetables or minerals, are they?
75 posted on 02/01/2013 12:09:11 PM PST by ZX12R
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To: SatinDoll

I’m only pointing out that there exists an alternative to killing a mama dog and her puppies.
...........
Yeah that’s ostensibly the point of this article.

But the Amish do everything on their own—like healthcare. Without government support.

Yours and my reaction would be to shovel the problem off to the local animal shelter—where they would either find a home for mama dog and her puppies or put them down. Either way, the responsibility for the animal is off our hands.

Whenever you read an Amish story—map it over onto Lubivitchers to see how the story fits into the liberal narrative. Both groups keep old ways and both groups are self reliant—both of which characteristics are anethma to liberals


76 posted on 02/01/2013 12:15:37 PM PST by ckilmer
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

“The could have been peacefully euthanized. “

They were peacefully euthanized. Unless I am mistaken no charges of torture are being proposed.

The local shelter isn’t the only place where an animal can be put down peacefully. One might argue it’s more traumatic for many animals to be taken there for euthanization. I think it is normally kinder to do it at home when the animal is sleeping. Rather than in a strange place with lots of other dogs, territorial stuff, waits in unfamiliar kennels, unfamiliar food, all that.


77 posted on 02/01/2013 12:16:26 PM PST by Persevero (Homeschooling for Excellence since 1992)
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To: ZX12R

No, humans are not animals, by my standard and the basic assumptions of my worldview.


78 posted on 02/01/2013 12:20:31 PM PST by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: MrB
No, humans are not animals, by my standard and the basic assumptions of my worldview.

Humans are mammals, and have the same characteristics as all mammals, and all mammals are animals. That is simply a quite apparent and inescapable fact, whether you like it or not. Just because you happen to be a little bit smarter, due to a bit more complexity, doesn't mean you are necessarily of any more value than a good dog. The world is the way that it is. Why do you hide from it?
79 posted on 02/01/2013 12:41:35 PM PST by ZX12R
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To: ZX12R

I suggest that if my worldview assumptions bother you, that it’s your problem, not mine.

Meanwhile, a many of the problems caused by the death culture of the left have the same assumptions that you’ve just espoused - a pig is a dog is a rat is a boy. Famous quote.

http://www.amazon.com/Rat-Pig-Dog-Boy-Movement/dp/1594036144


80 posted on 02/01/2013 12:45:47 PM PST by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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