Meanwhile, an international nonprofit for animal rights urges that additional charges of animal cruelty be brought against the men because a pet dog was killed in one of the traps.
Clint K. Moosman, 53, and James W. Brown, 80, both of Seneca Falls, were charged with multiple counts of setting body-gripping traps larger than 6 inches and failing to identify traps as required by law.
The men were charged after a trap killed Molly Rose, an 8-year-old yellow Lab, who was walking on a leash outside the depot fence with Laurena Jensen, 18. The trap snapped shut around the dog’s neck and, despite efforts to save Molly, the dog died at the scene.
Melissa Lewis is a cruelty caseworker with the Cruelty Investigations Department for PETA, the nonprofit People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. In a letter to the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Seneca County officials, including Sheriff Timothy Luce and District Attorney Barry Porsch, Lewis cited a section of the New York State Agriculture and Markets law section 353, referring to animal cruelty.
Lewis said a misdemeanor portion of the Ag and Markets law, section 353, regarding animal cruelty, applies to the trapping case. The misdemeanor portion of the law applies when the person charged did not intend to hurt the animal, she said.
“Upon conviction, we would push for the maximum penalty of one year in jail and $1,000 in fines,” Lewis said.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation said the dog was killed near the perimeter fence of the Seneca Army Depot in the town of Varick. Officers issued a total of 12 tickets to Brown and Moosman. The maximum penalty for each ticket is a $250 fine and/or 15 days in jail.
Responding last month to questions from the Messenger about animal cruelty charges, the DEC stated that “elements involved in this case do not support a charge of aggravated animal cruelty charges under the Ag and Markets law.”
As for the recent letter from PETA seeking additional charges of animal cruelty, DEC Public Information Officer Benning DeLaMater said Tuesday afternoon the DEC is referring all matters concerning the trapping incident to the Seneca County District Attorney’s Office.
Lewis said Tuesday afternoon the DEC had responded to her letter and insisted that the appropriate charges had been filed.
“We are not giving up,” she said.
Lewis added that PETA has sent additional messages to Seneca County DA Barry Porsch and had not received a response as of Tuesday afternoon.
“Our next step will be asking for the public to join us,” said Lewis, who is based in Norfolk, Va. That will involve rallying citizens to contact their local officials in pressing for animal cruelty charges.
Moosman had been an animal nuisance control officer on contract with Seneca Falls when the trapping occurred last month. Seneca Falls Supervisor Greg Lazzaro said Moosman last week resigned from that job with the town.
(Daily Messenger - Feb 10, 2016)
Earlier:
- New York: Someone is setting deadly traps, killing dogs. But the main question is: why are traps like this allowed for ANY animal?
- New York: Instead of charging Clint Moosman, 53, and James Brown, 80, with animal cruelty for killing Molly Rose, they're issued illegal trapping tickets. By the way, not mentioned is the fact that Moosman is currently employed as a Nuisance Animal Control officer for Seneca Falls.
- New York: Clint K Moosman, who killed Molly Rose, is outed as an animal control officer for Seneca Falls
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