West Virginia: Bradley McCarty, 20, accused of killing pet hamster by slamming it onto the floor

WEST VIRGINIA -- An Inwood, W.Va., man accused of killing a hamster Saturday was charged with animal cruelty causing death, according to Berkeley County (W.Va.) Magistrate Court records.

Bradley Dylan McCarty, 20, of Harranda Court also was charged over the weekend on an outstanding charge of domestic battery involving his girlfriend, court records said.



Berkeley County Sheriff's Department Deputy Jacob Swartz said in a complaint that McCarty admitted that he threw the hamster to the floor after it bit his finger, then discovered that he killed the animal.

"Mr. McCarty further stated that he then threw the hamster outside in the hopes that a cat would eat it," Swartz said in the complaint.

Swartz said he found the hamster with blood coming from its nose and mouth, court records said.

The defendant's mother told police that she awoke to hearing McCarty yelling, and discovered that he was screaming at his 8- to 9-month-old son, records said.

Swartz said the defendant initially blamed his son, saying he had "accidentally" had killed the hamster, records said.

ARREST INFO:
Full Name: Bradley Dylan McCarty
Arrest Age: 20
Gender: Male
Birthdate: 10/18/1996
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 165 lbs
Date: 02/11/2017
Arresting Agency: Berkeley County
Charges
#1 ANIMAL CRUELTY-1
NOTES: PTF Pretrial Felon

#2 DOMESTIC BATTERY
NOTES: PTF Pretrial Felon

(Herald Media - Feb 13, 2017)

Utah: At 18, Andrew Berard already "has a history of cruelty to animals" and has been arrested, charged with torturing and killing animas and dismembering their bodies

UTAH -- A Diamond Valley man was arrested Saturday after witnesses reported he had stolen multiple firearms and other property and killed several of their pets, including puppies and a hamster.

At approximately 7:15 p.m. Saturday, authorities responded to a fight at a Diamond Valley residence where witnesses reported that 18-year-old Andrew Michael Berard had stolen multiple firearms and had tortured and killed several pets, according to a probable cause statement filed by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in support of the arrest.

Deputies located Berard walking on a street and spoke with him about the incident. Berard allegedly admitted he had taken the firearms without permission, the deputy wrote in his sworn statement, and told officers “he did not understand why he did it, knowing it was wrong.”

Berard was detained by deputies and transported back to the house where the incident occurred to continue the investigation.

Three witnesses living in the home told authorities Berard had stolen multiple items from them – including three handguns, a .22 long rifle, two BB guns, $300, a credit card and alcohol – and had hidden the items in his room, according to the statement.

Witnesses told authorities they had located and recovered all of the firearms, alcohol and credit card in Berard’s room, the deputy stated. However, they were unable to locate the missing money.

“The (alleged) victims stated Andrew had killed their pet hamster and attempted to hide the body under the stairs,” the deputy stated. “The (alleged) victims said Andrew had also killed some of their puppies a week ago.”

The witness reportedly found the dead hamster and buried it, the report stated. When they confronted Berard about the problems at the house, a verbal argument ensued.

The animal was exhumed and found to be cut in half and dismembered.

“The (alleged) victims showed us the location of where the hamster was buried,” the deputy wrote in his statement. “The animal was exhumed and found to be cut in half and dismembered.”

Sheriff’s deputies advised Berard of his Miranda rights and questioned him about the allegations.

“Andrew admitted he killed the hamster because he CLAIMED he 'thought' it was a mouse,” the deputy stated. “The (alleged) victim stated Andrew was aware of the hamster in its cage which would (have) had to been physically removed from it, as it was found dismembered in another room in the basement and then hidden.”

According to the deputy’s statement, Berard admitted to taking the credit card in a box of papers from one of the witnesses and said “he was just snooping and should not have taken it.”

He also admitted to taking the alcohol and drinking some earlier in the day, according to the deputy’s statement. However, Berard denied taking any money or torturing and killing the puppies.

“It was later found out that Andrew has a history of suicidal behaviors and cruelty to animals,” the deputy stated.

Berard was arrested and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility on suspicion of several criminal charges.

The Washington County Attorney then filed an information in 5th District Court accusing Berard of two counts of second-degree felony theft; third-degree felony unlawful acquisition of a finance card without consent; a class A misdemeanor for aggravated cruelty to animals; and two class B misdemeanor counts of theft and unlawful minor possession of alcohol.

Berard appeared before 5th District Judge Eric Ludlow Monday for his initial court appearance. Ludlow ordered $20,000 bail for Berard’s release pending trial.

Berard was found indigent by the court and was appointed attorney Ariel Taylor to represent him. He is scheduled to make his next appearance in court Monday afternoon.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WHO DERIVE JOY FROM TORTURING AND KILLING DEFENSELESS ANIMALS TURN INTO THIS:

(St George Utah - April 15, 2016)

Charlene McCafferty McDowall, 22 and Lawrence Skrzydlo, 31, jailed after TWENTY TWO animals found dead in tiny one-bedroom apartment

UNITED KINGDOM -- A couple have been jailed after RSPCA inspectors found 22 dead animals crammed into a tiny one bedroom flat.

Charlene McCafferty McDowall, 22 and Lawrence Skrzydlo, 31, had 50 animals in their home.

A court heard they included a kitten, a gerbil, bearded dragons and hamsters.

They were all kept in filthy conditions with no food or water.

Now the couple have been locked-up and banned from keeping animals for life after admitting a string of cruelty charges .

After the case, RSPCA inspector Jo Taylor said: “It was a horrendous scene, 50 animals crammed into a small flat, almost half of which were dead.

“The animals’ needs were not being met as a result of them having no food or water and living in their own filth.

“There were cages, carriers, hutches and makeshift vivariums stacked on top of each other. All were filthy. There was no food or water.

“We got there just in time for vets to save a collapsed kitten who was suffering from dehydration and hypothermia. It was a miracle. None of us expected the poor little thing to make it, but she was a fighter.

“One of the bearded dragons was emaciated and suffering, whilst the other surviving animals’ needs were not being met as a result of them having no food or water and living in their own filth.”

The inspector added: “Keeping this number of animals in a one-bedroom flat was never going to be a good idea, there was nowhere near enough space for them all.

“Not only were they living in inappropriate conditions though, they were living in filth, and had no access to food or water.

“Many animals had died and those that survived were lucky we were called and went along when we did, or it’s likely they too would have suffered a similar fate.”

Two of the bearded dragons had to be put to sleep on veterinary advice, but the other animals were signed over to the RSPCA for rehoming.

The RSPCA were called to the couple’s flat in Goldthorpe, near Barnsley, south Yorks, after a tip-off in January this year.

McDowall was jailed for eight weeks and Skrzydl for 10 weeks after both pleaded guilty to seven counts of animal cruelty at Barnsely magistrates’ court .

(Mirror UK - Dec 22, 2015)

Snakes, rabbits among 2 dozen animals rescued from vacant Gillespie home

ILLINOIS -- After discovering over two dozen animals in a vacant Gillespie home, police called "The Bat Guy" Ron Scheller to rescue the animals from the home.

Neighbors called police to report broken windows and signs of a break-in at the home, which is when they discovered the animals.

  

Animals in the home included snakes, rabbits, rats, hamsters and mice, all without any food or water.

I think these poor little animals were being kept to feed the snake.s :(

The home was reportedly filled with garbage and officials believe it had been vacant for approximately one month.

 

One of the animals found, an Albino Reticulated Python, was dehydrated and in need of some care, but is expected to be okay.

Scheller said he and LaMarr Young, who specializes in snake rescue, were able to remove the snakes and other animals from the home.

(KMOV.com - Aug 6, 2015)

Mississippi: Parents withdraw privately-educated frat boy from college after he was filmed biting off a hamster's head in Spring Break video

MISSISSIPPI -- The 18-year-old student who was filmed biting the head off a live hamster has been expelled from his fraternity, withdrawn from college and submitted for mental assessment.

DailyMail.com last weekend exposed Brady Eaves, the privately-educated stepson of a former Mississippi governor candidate, as the teenager who shrieked with laughter as he murdered the small animal in a video from a drunken Spring Break party.

The footage, allegedly filmed in Florida, could see Eaves charged with felony animal cruelty charges, which carry a maximum jail term of five years and $5,000 in fines.

In a statement branding his actions 'disturbing' and 'disappointing', Eaves' stepfather and mother revealed he has been withdrawn from the University of Mississippi, where he was on a scholarship, and submitted for mental health tests.

It comes after Phi Delta Theta openly condemned Eaves' actions and expelled him from the fraternity. 

His stepfather John Arthur Eaves Jr, who was the Democratic candidate in Mississippi's 2007 gubernatorial elections, and mother Angel Eaves told the press: 'Let everyone please be assured that we do not take the subject of animal cruelty lightly, nor do we in any way condone the behavior displayed in the recent video of our son that has gone viral on the internet.

'The actions that appear in the video go against everything that our son has been taught, and we can assure everyone that his actions are not what he believes in his heart, nor are true to his character.'

They added: 'As parents we are obviously and very seriously concerned about the well-being of our son. We have withdrawn him from school, and fully intend on professionally assessing why he behaved in such a horrible way, and what we must do as a family to keep this type of behavior from ever happening again.'

Sources close to Eaves told DailyMail.com he was top of his class at private Jackson Preparatory School, and described him as an 'animal lover' whose numerous pets include a raccoon and a parrot.

However, last weekend the teenager from Madison, MS, swept the internet in a video that showed him pull a hamster from a cage, bite off its head, and hurl its body into the distance.

 

According to sources connected to the incident, the party of college students force-fed the hamster vodka and 'hot-boxed' its cage with marijuana before the sickening stunt.

His stepfather John Arthur Eaves Jr, a born-again Christian who was slammed for blaming unemployment on the state's Hispanic population during his 2007 election campaign, did not respond to DailyMail.com's request for a comment last week before releasing a statement a day later.

Now CEO of Eaves Law Firm in Jackson, Mississippi, Eaves Jr has unsuccessfully run for state governor and U.S. Congress.

He lost to the Republican incumbent Haley Barbour, winning 42 per cent of the vote, following controversial claims about the state's growing Latino population.

His clients today include victims of the Costa Concordia cruise boat crash. He has three sons from his first marriage, and a young daughter with Brady's mother, advertising executive Angel Eaves, in leafy Madison, MS.

In the video, his stepson Brady is surrounded by friends in beachwear who shriek with laughter as he pulls the animal from a blue cage.

The footage starts with the voice of one party-goer balking: 'Oh my f***ing God! No way!'

Others can be heard jeering: 'So good! So good!'

Hurling the hamster over a fence, Eaves bellows a yell as others are seen grinning and laughing behind him.

The video was uploaded to YouTube on Friday night under the name 'psycho drunk spring breaker bites head off of hamster'.

Within minutes, it was removed from the video-sharing site for violating its codes of conduct.

Caching the video, animal rights group PETA launched a manhunt to track Eaves down.

Stephanie Bell, PETA's Cruelty Casework Director, told DailyMail.com they plan to press charges.

'It is horrific,' Bell said.

"9 Early Warning Signs for Serial Killers" #3. Torturing Small Animals - This is one of the strongest warning signs. Children who torture or kill small animals like squirrels, birds, cats, and dogs without showing remorse are highly likely to be sociopaths. Many serial killers kill to control others’ lives, and as children, small animals are the only lives they have the power to control. When young, Jeffrey Dahmer impaled the heads of animals he killed on stakes in his yard (even admitting to having killed his own puppy and staking its head in the yard). By age eight Ted Bundy was killing animals, taking apart animals, setting animals on fire... John Wayne Gacy admitted to torturing, doing 'experiments' and killing small animals when he was a small boy.

'Animal abuse is a community concern. People who abuse animals rarely do so only once and almost never stop there.

'The link between cruelty to animals and inter-personal violence is undeniable. Many of our nation's serial killers and most school shooters share a history of animal abuse.

'Often, humans and animals are abused at the same time. For example, the guy who kicks the family dog is likely abusing his spouse and children too. Cruelty to animals is always a red flag.'

(Daily Mail - Apr 3, 2015)

Earlier:

• Frat boy BITES HEAD OFF HAMSTER in horrific video at drunken Spring Break party

Florida: Carolyn Jane Fowler, 45, charged with animal cruelty after leaving animals in squalor

FLORIDA -- On Thursday deputies with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office received a complaint regarding animal cruelty saying several animals were living inside a small trailer located at 8273 Lucena Street in Navarre, Florida.

Officials say several dogs and cats appeared to be malnourished and living without care. After deputies responded to the address and were unable to make contact with the homeowner,  they partnered with the Santa Rosa County Animal Control Services which also responded to the scene.

Sufficient evidence was obtained for a search warrant which was executed at approximately 6:00 p.m. Friday. Entry was made into the residence shortly afterwards.

Authorities say they found several cats, a bird and fish inside the residence and that all of the animals appeared to be in distress and were frail. Some of the cats were described having open wounds.

Two deputies, who entered the home to assist in the recovery of the animals, were covered in fleas and had to be decontaminated after assisting with the animals. There was no sign of food or water and the home was described to be in deplorable conditions. A deceased hamster was found inside a cage.

While the warrant was in the process of being executed, the suspect, Carolyn Jane Fowler, 45, arrived at the home. She was arrested on charges of animal cruelty and was taken to the Santa Rosa County Jail where she was placed on a $1,000 bond.

The animals were transported by the Santa Rosa County Animal Control for treatment. Animal Control advised there may be additional charges pending.

(WTOC - March 28, 2015)

Frat boy BITES HEAD OFF HAMSTER in horrific video at drunken Spring Break party

FLORIDA -- A college student has been filmed biting the head off a live hamster.

The video, seen by DailyMail.com, shows the apparently drunk man pull the animal from a backpack as he is jeered on by a crowd of scantily-clad teenagers at a suspected spring break party.

Grinning, he takes a bite, spits part of the animal on the ground, and hurls the rest over a fence.

The crowd erupts with shrieking laughter as the man in a pink wolf t-shirt beams wildly at the phone cameras and girls around him.

Animal rights group PETA has launched a manhunt to track down the man, who is reported to be a fraternity member at Florida State University.

 

 

  

Stephanie Bell, PETA's Cruelty Casework Director, told DailyMail.com investigators are in touch with university directors to identify the man and press charges.

'It is horrific. We don't know who this man is but we are working to track him down and prosecute,' Bell said.

'Animal abuse is a community concern. People who abuse animals rarely do so only once and almost never stop there.

'The link between cruelty to animals and inter-personal violence is undeniable. Many of our nation's serial killers and most school shooters share a history of animal abuse.

'Often, humans and animals are abused at the same time. For example, the guy who kicks the family dog is likely abusing his spouse and children too. Cruelty to animals is always a red flag.'

The video was uploaded to YouTube on Friday night under the name 'psycho drunk spring breaker bites head off of hamster'.

Within minutes, it was removed from the video-sharing site for violating its codes of conduct.

The footage starts with the voice of one party-goer balking: 'Oh my f***ing God! No way!'

 

 

 

Others can be heard jeering: 'So good! So good!'

After the man throws the hamster, others are seen grinning and laughing behind him.

DailyMail.com has been unable to corroborate claims that the man is a fraternity member at Florida State University. PETA and DailyMail.com have yet to receive a response from the university.

If you know who this man is, contact DailyMail.com on 646-885-5158

(Daily Mail - March 29, 2015)

Man accused of neglecting animals admits to assault

CANADA -- A man facing dozens of animal neglect charges admits he assaulted a peace officer with a weapon.

Anthony Berry pleaded guilty Thursday to assault, and an agreed statement of facts was entered in court.

The incident happened this past August while officers were investigating reports of nearly a hundred rabbits and hamsters in a southeast Calgary home.

 

 

“When the accused became concerned his animals were going to be seized by the humane society he became agitated, and made a threatening remark to the police officer and humane society officers and pulled a knife”, says Crown Prosecutor Gord Haight.”

He told them “there are going to be dead bodies in here in a few minutes”.

Haight says the 43-year-old man reacted violently as he was arrested.

“After urging the police officer to shoot him, he stabbed the knife into the wall. The knife was secured and the accused was arrested. But before he could be cuffed he took a bottle that was nearby, and smashed it over his own head and then stabbed himself  in the neck.”

During the incident, officers seized 92 animals from the southeast home Berry shared with his wife.
Court heard the basement floor was covered with feces with conditions described as deplorable.

Officers found rabbits, mice and rats in cages – many of the rabbits had been mutilated.

Berry is charged with dozens of counts of causing unnecessary pain and suffering to animals, and neglecting to provide adequate food, water, shelter and care

He will now be sent for a pre-sentence report that will include a full psychiatric evaluation.
Animal rights activists are hoping for a harsh sentence.

“He should have the book thrown at him and never be able to have any animals ever again” says Heather Anderson of the Daisy Foundation.

Berry is currently in custody, having been denied bail earlier this week.

He has not yet entered a plea on the animal neglect charges.

Berry will be back in court for a sentencing hearing November 21st.

(Global News - Oct 2, 2014)

Tennessee: Clarksville couple, Daniel Thompson and Jessica Thompson, charged with child abuse, animal cruelty

TENNESSEE -- A Clarksville couple has been charged after police found their two children and starving dogs living in deplorable conditions.

The Leaf Chronicle reported Daniel and Jessica Thompson, both age 33, were arrested by Clarksville Police Monday night. Both were charged with one count of felony child abuse and neglect, one count of child abuse and neglect and one count of animal cruelty.

 

According to arrest warrants, police arrived at the home of Daniel Kevin Thompson and Jessica Dawn Thompson June 23 on suspicion of animal cruelty. Authorities could smell a foul odor coming from the home at 714 Green Valley Ct., and an emaciated dog was sitting on the porch.

The floors, kitchen counter tops, children’s rooms, and beds were covered in feces and urine.

A 9-year old girl and 5-year old boy were found barefoot and covered with bug bites. They were placed in the custody of the Department of Children’s Services.

 

Photos: Clarksville Now

Animal Control removed several animals from the home, including eight dogs, five cats, two rabbits, two parakeets, two hamsters, a chicken, and a rat. The warrants stated that there was not much food or water in the home for the pets.

The dogs were in the worst shape. A Great Dane who should have weighed 120 pounds weighed in at only 58 pounds and his ribs and hip bones were easily visible, according to animal control. He was covered in flea bites and bleeding from the wounds, said Animal Control Officer Willie Johnston.

Photo: The Leaf-Chronicle/Stephanie Ingersoll

A Miniature Pinscher was also extremely skinny, along with four pit bull mixes. Two pit bulls who had been recently acquired were in better shape but still underweight, Clifton said.

Willie Johnston with Animal Control said all the dogs were loaded with ticks and were given baths to remove them. They are being fed high protein food to help them gain weight.

 

Photo: Clarksvillenow.com

All of the dogs are currently available for adoption, according to Animal Control Director Tim Clifton.

“All of them are good dogs, they’re not aggressive,” Johnston said. “When you put food in front of them, they’re going to fight for the food.”

Their bonds were set at $15,000 each.

(WVLT - June 26, 2014)

Man admits to squeezing HAMSTER to death with his bare hands in pet store

LOUISIANA -- A 21-year-old Louisiana man has pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals for squeezing a hamster to death at a mall pet store.

On Monday, State Judge Steve Grefer ordered Vincent Caracci, of Metairie, to serve two years' probation and perform 80 hours of community service.

Grefer also ordered the 21-year-old grocery store clerk must undergo psychological evaluation at his own expense, and he is barred from owning pets while on probation.

According to an arrest report, Caracci grabbed a hamster similar to the one
pictured and squeezed it in his hand until the tiny rodent stopped breathing

His conviction may be expunged from his criminal record if he completes his probation, according to the plea agreement reached between his attorney, Ann Steinhardt, and prosecutor Rachel Africk.

[All this sadist has to do is his community service and not pick up any new criminal charges in two years' time and this horrific crime will be wiped off his record - as though it had never happened.]

The incident took place March 27, 2013, when Caracci stopped by the now-closed Lakeside Pets store at Lakeside Shopping Center.

According to Caracci’s arrest report cited by NOLA.com, an employee at the pet shop spotted the would-be customer roughly touching the animals in their cages.

When the woman told Caracci to stop mishandling the critters, the 21-year-old picked up a hamster and ‘continued to squeeze the animal until it made a loud squeaking sound and [stopped] breathing.’

When the store clerk confronted Caracci and demanded to know what he was doing, the 21-year-old kept mum, but stared at her 'with a mean disposition.'

At the time he was arrested, Caracci was on probation for possessing synthetic marijuana. He was sentenced to six months in jail on the drug charge last month.
(Daily Mail - Feb 28, 2014)

Less than a month after pleading guilty to cruelty to animals, man caught with new animals in home

Animal abuser: Rodney Smith, 46

OHIO --  Authorities confiscated seven animals from the home of a man who pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and neglect charges earlier this month.

 

Dayton police and the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center removed four dogs, two cats and one ferret this afternoon from the home in the 0 to 100 block of Sandhurst Drive.

It’s the same home where a 10-year-old girl was found last month living in filthy conditions with 16 dogs, two cats, three hamsters and two parrots.

The animals were removed at that time as was the girl, and the adult resident Rodney Smith, 46, was charged with animal cruelty and neglect charges, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.

Smith pleaded guilty as part of a deal on Aug. 5. The judge suspended a 270-day jail sentence and ordered Smith to not own any animals for five years, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Dayton police and ARC returned to the home today after neighbors reported hearing dogs barking and seeing people going in and out of the house, according to Mark Kumpf, ARC director.

“Conditions are substantially the same as we found when we did our first investigation on this house back in June,” Kumpf said. “I know what cruelty smells like. This house smells terrible. These animals are forced to live here. While you and I have the ability to vote with our feet, we can leave unfit conditions and go elsewhere, animals don’t have the ability to open the door and make their feelings known by leaving the property. They’re trapped inside.”

A city housing inspector also responded to the address.

No charges have been filed against Smith. Kumpf said investigators will discuss the possibility of felony animal cruelty charges with the prosecutor’s office.

(WHIO - Aug 26 2013)

Hollywood Man Charged With Battering Girlfriend and Killing Her Hamsters

FLORIDA -- A Hollywood man has been arrested on charges he sexually battered his girlfriend and tormented her by killing her hamsters, police say.

Joseph Gibbons-Nix, 35, was taken into custody Wednesday on multiple counts of aggravated assault, domestic battery by strangulation, sexual assault and animal cruelty charges, records show.

Joseph Gibbons-Nix

Gibbons-Nix and his girlfriend have lived together as a couple for seven years, an arrest report said.
Gibbons-Nix “intentionally caused bodily harm and forced [the woman] by threat to engage in sexual activities against her will,” the report said.

He kept demanding oral sex, to which she didn’t agree, said Hollywood police spokesman Sgt. Lester Cochenour.

When she gave in to his demands, he complained that she was “not doing it right,” and punched her in the head, face and arms, police said. He also bit her twice, the police report said.

The domestic strangulation charges stemmed from the woman’s near-strangulation, police said. She said that her boyfriend several times “strangled her where her airway was completely blocked and she felt she was going to lose consciousness,” the arrest report said.

Gibbons-Nix also told her that her hamsters were “ungodly creatures,” the report said.

He picked up the smaller of the two hamsters and forcefully threw the hamster on the floor, killing it instantly, the report said. He killed the second hamster by throwing it and striking it with a shoe, the report said.

The woman was abused over several days, the report said. But Wednesday, the woman had gotten so worried that her boyfriend would kill her, she told him she was leaving the apartment to get coffee, the report said. She walked to a gas station and phoned police.

(nbcMiami - Dec 20, 2012)