The prosecution described his property as a "canine Auschwitz". The defense explained that abandoning 20 hunting dogs, with no food and no water, for over two weeks was just a mistake. If not for a phone call to the Kauai Humane Society from a neighbor, that “mistake” would have cost the lives of all 20 dogs. Though not nearly long enough, for the needless cruelty he inflicted on his animals, Steve Cummings was sentenced to serve six months in jail.
This week’s story of the Cummings sentencing for animal cruelty can be read here:
http://starbulletin.com/2007/08/08/news/story03.htmlSteve Cummings, 48, who was charged with 20 counts of animal cruelty in December 2006 for abandoning his dogs for 16 days without food and water, has been sentenced to serve six months in jail. Cummings told the court that it was just a mistake. Leaving 20 dogs for over two weeks with no food and no water was a mistake?
In December 2006, the Kauai Humane Society found 3 dead dogs and 17 abandoned and severely emaciated dogs on the property of Steve Cummings, 3 of who were roughly 24 hours away from also dying of dehydration and starvation. The humane officers were appalled at the sight, finding no food and no water for the dogs and describing the dogs as “walking skeletons”, saying that had they not been alerted by a call from a neighbor, all of the dogs would have been dead within the week. The surviving dogs were taken to the Kauai Humane Society and Cummings was cited with 20 counts of cruelty and 20 counts of desertion.
The original December 2006 cruelty story can be found here:
http://starbulletin.com/2006/12/10/news/story10.htmlIn May 2007, Cummings pled “no contest” to the charges. What was most upsetting to animal lovers and pet owners was the description by Cummings’ lawyer of what Cummings did to the dogs. Cummings’ lawyer said that Cummings loved his dogs and that abandoning his dogs for 16 days with no food and no water was just “an honest mistake”. The Kauai Humane Society described otherwise.
"This is the most blatant case of starvation I have ever witnessed," said Kauai Humane Society Executive Director Dr. Rebecca Rhoades. "Cummings displayed a total disregard for his dogs' welfare or the suffering he caused them."
More on Cummings’ “no contest” plea can be read here:
http://starbulletin.com/2007/05/31/news/story12.htmlMaybe the real “mistake” in all of this is the very short sentence Cummings received. A sentence of just six months jail time for the cruelty he inflicted on the dogs he claims to have loved just isn’t long enough.
This case should be a springboard for the people of Hawaii to tell their legislators that the sentences for animal cruelty need to be strengthened if we are to truly punish those who abuse and torture animals.Top Photo: Courtesy of KITV-TV. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20169171/Second Photo: Courtesy of the Kauai Humane Society. “This Airedale was one of 17 dogs recovered from an abandoned property on Kauai. The dogs' owner was charged with animal cruelty.” http://starbulletin.com/2006/12/10/news/story10.html