Railroad Engineer Saves Puppy's Life, But The Man Who Tied The Dog To Train Tracks Goes Free And Unpunished. WHY?

     My commentary today focuses on a story that needs to be examined much more thoroughly by law enforcement officials and animal protection organizations.

     Authorities in southern California say a 78-year old man tied a 10-month old puppy to railroad tracks in the Mojave Desert near Mecca last week, but thankfully a quick thinking and very alert engineer was able to use emergency brakes to bring his train to a screeching halt to keep it from crushing the mixed breed poodle-terrier.  The Riverside County Department of Animal Services says the dog - nicknamed Banjo, a reference to old train traffic signals - is doing fine and is up for adoption.

     It was April 2nd, 2013 when a sharp-eyed, heroic railroad engineer - whose name has not yet been made public - observed the elderly man walking away from the tracks.  Later...when a special agent from the Union Pacific Railroad responded to the scene, he called it "one of the worst things I've seen."

     The agent reportedly untied Banjo and told journalists that the man claimed his family "didn't want the puppy, but didn't know what to do" with him.  The agent stated that he couldn't charge the still unidentified man with a crime of animal cruelty because he appeared "confused or senile, and didn't understand what he had done."  The man was, therefore, released to his family and Banjo was taken to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms, California, where he was treated and bathed.

     This is a horror of a case, which needs a complete investigation.  The elderly man may indeed be suffering from a mental health problem.  But such a diagnosis should be determined by a doctor and other medical experts; certainly not by a special agent of a railroad company.  Furthermore, a district attorney, a judge, a grand jury - they are then to conclude whether prosecution is warranted.  Just because a person appears to be "confused" doesn't get him off the hook.  If that was the case, the prisons in our country would be nearly empty.  Think about it for a moment.  Can you hear a defendant, who is on trial for murder saying the following?  "I'm sorry, your honor, but I was...confused...when I shot to death those 12 people."  We need to find out - and fast - whether the man who tied Banjo to the train tracks could be a danger to himself...or more importantly...to others.  Obviously...he was a danger to Banjo.

     Is it possible that this man is - plain and simple - an evil, evil man...and that he has tortured other dogs in the past?  Is it possible that this was not the first time he's performed such a gruesome and ghastly act of violence?  If so...fortunately... this time he was caught.

     I was curious to know if there is any connection between animal cruelty and violence towards people.  There can be.  In an April 27th, 2011 issue of Psychology Today magazine, Dr. Joni E. Johnston, Psy.D writes that "statistics show that 30 percent of children, who have witnessed domestic violence, act out a similar type of violence against their pets.  In fact, the link between animal abuse and interpersonal violence is so well-known that many U.S. communities now cross-train social-service and animal-control agencies in how to recognize signs of animal abuse as possible indicators of other abusive behaviors." 

     When authorities, families, friends or any responsible person detects signs that an individual may become violent - for any reason whatsoever - we must act accordingly.  There have been mass shootings and other criminal activities in America where deaths of innocent people could have been easily avoided...if someone spoke up.

     How heartless can anyone be to sentence a puppy to death by a speeding locomotive?  At the very least, the man should have been fined - perhaps a thousand dollars - perhaps even more - and the money used to help Banjo and other dogs against inhumane behavior.

     There isn't a day that goes by that I don't see a commercial on television that advertises the ASPCA, the SPCA, The Humane Society or other animal protection organizations.  There are no-kill shelters that would have gladly welcomed Banjo and found this adorable, precious puppy a warm and loving home.  There is no excuse for anybody to say they "didn't know what to do."

     I can only imagine how terrified Banjo was when he was tied to the tracks and the train roared toward his tiny, little canine body.  Thank God, there is a happy ending to this story.  I can only hope there is someone within the legal system in Riverside County or in the state of California, who is smart enough to investigate this case more intently.  It is, of course, quite possible that the senior citizen involved in this particular incident is truly the victim of senility, dementia, or some other form of mental disease that is prone to affect elderly people.  But if not...I shudder to think what could be on his mind next.

     Tying a poor, defenseless puppy to railroad tracks was a premeditated act of violence.  What happens if the 78-year old grandfather decides one day that he doesn't like one of his grandchildren.  Is he going to tie the kid to the train tracks too?

     And that's The Controversy for today.

     I'm Gary B. Duglin.

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