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We advocate on all animal protection and exploitation issues, including experimentation, factory farming, rodeos, breeders and traveling animal acts.

Animal Defenders of Westchester
P.O. Box 205
Yonkers, NY 10704

Press Release

PIRRO - UPHOLD THE LAW FOR PIT BULLS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Kiley Blackman  
[email protected]
www.adow.org   

White Plains, NY February 5 On Wednesday, February 5, 2003 members of Animal Defenders of Westchester and the Friends of the Yonkers Animal Shelter will gather outside the office of Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirro at 111 Martin Luther King Blvd from 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. to protest her filing of misdemeanor charges in the recent pit bull 'training camp' arrests in Yonkers.

The details of this arrest were horrifying - bloody treadmills, restraining tables for 'medical' treatment, dogs with open, infected wounds, one with his lower jaw ripped off; three dogs were immediately euthanized. A recent similar case in The Bronx was given felony status by Bronx D.A. Robert Johnson. By charging the Yonkers case as a misdemeanor, the defendants were able to ask for, and receive misdemeanor-weight bail.

We demand D.A. Pirro send a message of zero-tolerance to pit bull fight organizers by applying the top felony charges in this case.

Sections 351 of Agriculture/Markets Law, and 353 of the Penal Law, mandate these crimes as felonies. Kiley Blackman, organizer of this event, said, "A story in the NY Post alleges pit bull-fight involvement among judges, lawyers and police. If Jeanine Pirro cannot uphold the law for animals, and for all sentient beings, she should be sanctioned and/or removed from office."