One of my FaceBook friends posted a news story out of Detroit today.  Some bastard had thrown a puppy into a yard with hungry pit bulls.  The pit bulls attacked and killed the puppy.  The neighbors were horrified and called police and animal control but were unable to get any help.  There was a video showing four or five dogs in the  yard.  I hope those responsible are prosecuted.
It reminded me of a hearing I did on a guy once.  He had been given a Special Designation as a violent offender.  Prisoners with this designation are not eligible for certain community placements allowing their sentence to be served on tether in the community.  This guy claimed he was not a violent offender because he had never attacked a human being.  He had, however, attacked and beaten his estranged wife's dog, then left it suffering, mortally wounded to die a slow painful death.  He wanted his wife to find the dog.  He was punishing her for leaving him.  He had the attitude, "it was just a dog not a person".   Amazingly enough, I had no trouble upholding the Designation.