Kattie

06:30 PM EDT on Thursday, June 16, 2005


By 13News



A month-long investigation into alleged animal cruelty has ended with the arrests of two people, employed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in Norfolk.

Officers said Andrew Benjamin Cook, 24, of Tree Top Drive in Va. Beach, and Adria Joy Hinkle, 27, of Claremont Ave. in Norfolk picked up live animals from shelters in Northampton and Bertie counties but dumped dead animals in Ahoskie.

In all, 31 animals were found Wednesday - 18 dogs were in a dumpster at New Market Shopping Center in Ahoskie, NC. The rest were still in the van, police added.

Investigators said dead animals have been illegally dumped every Wednesday night for four weeks.

Surveillance done Wednesday resulted in the pair's arrest. Their white panel van, which was seized, was registered to PETA, investigators added.

And, according to the Roanoke-Chowan News Herald, investigators positively identified nearly all of the dogs found in the dumpster as the ones picked up just a few hours earlier on Wednesday by Cook and Hinkle. The paper also quoted investigators as say that shelter officials were told the animals would be taken to Norfolk where they would find good homes.

Cook and Hinkle each face 31 felony counts of animal cruelty and eight misdemeanor counts of illegal disposal of dead animals. Both are free on $35,500.00 bond and are due in court on Friday.

PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk told 13News that Hinkle has been suspended. She said Cook was a new employee on a ride along and that he has not been suspended.

Newkirk also said that it would be "deplorable" for anyone to illegally dispose of animals.

She confirmed that PETA does, in fact, euthanize animals but only ones that are not adoptable.

Newkirk said some of the animals were in bad shape. For example, one had its collar embedded in its neck; another had a severe skin disease.

Dr. Pat Proctor of Ahoskie Animal Hospital said one of the animals he examined didn't need to be euthanized.

"This was a young, healthy puppy. It was a six month old lab mix and appeared to be in very, very good shape. Um, and he had received some type of injection in his front right leg," he said.

PETA said it's launched its own investigation

http://www.wvec.com/news/topstories/....16979920.html

There is also a video at the news link.



ETA: Video link

* Don't worry, they don't show dead animals. It's just a regular news report.

Lenghthen

LMFAO. Hypocritical mofo's. They can leave Jennifer Lopez alone now.

Leonida

That's sad. I hate animal cruelty

Duffyboy

If there's one thing I hate it's Animal Radicals like PETA.

With 10,000 people being killed needlessly every week in wars and killings and murders why the hell should they have a right to tell us what to wear and what animals (food) to eat.

So as for this stoy, what a come-uppance!

ForeverInLoveWithJus

I know exactly what Peta are up to. They have the guts to slag Jen off and act worse that what they say she does. Hell just rot away PETA.

Birgerhar

I agree with PETA's message, but not with their tactics.

ForeverInLoveWithJus

I find this site good www.killpeta.com

Birgerhar

That site seems a bit biased themselves. I agree with alot of PETA's goals. Although some of them.... are obscure. I don't belive in Animal Cruelty. But not having pets? Pets are usually treated with kindness, and those that are not, the owner is punished. PETA has good messages, but sometiems they need to use their brain.

ForeverInLoveWithJus

Well thats just stupid, not having pets, and what do we do with the animals then? Let them roam the streets and starve to death.