South Carolina: Elderly man, 77, brutally attacked, 'dragged away' by American Bulldogs on Upstate golf course

SOUTH CAROLINA -- A 77-year-old man was brutally attacked by two dogs Wednesday morning on an Upstate golf course, according to Sgt. Ryan Flood, with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office.

Sgt. Flood said just after 9 a.m., the man was walking on the Links O’Tryon Golf Course on New Cut Road in Campobello.

 

Prior to the dogs attacking the elderly man, they were terrorizing staff and customers at the Dimitri's Restaurant. Waitress Dana Jordan recorded video with her phone of the two American Bulldogs milling about the entrance, barking and growling at them.

Another news article says Animal Control was called, but when they arrived, the dogs had already disappeared. Two hours later they got the call about the man being mauled at the golf course.

He said two dogs approached the man and began to “brutally attack him.”

The victim was at one point “dragged to a creek area” by the dogs, Jamie Nelson, director of Spartanburg County Environmental Enforcement, told TV station WSPA.

A witness called 911 and two firefighters from the Gowensville Fire Department arrived and were able to get the dogs away from the man.

 

When deputies arrived, they said they found the man with substantial bite marks on his body, Flood said.

He was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

“I’ve never seen any stray dogs," Josh Phillips, a resident near the course, said. "This is the first time I’ve heard of anything like this happening here.”

 

 

Flood said the mix-breed dogs did not have any identifiers on them and are being considered strays.

 

 

The dogs were captured by the Spartanburg County Animal Control and taken to Greenville County Animal Control. The dogs will remain in their care pending an investigation.

A woman at the shelter said the dogs are boxer bulldogs [No, no. They're American Bulldogs]. Animal Control is asking anyone who recognizes the dogs to call them at 864-467-7595.

  

VIDEO NEWS CLIP #1:

VIDEO NEWS CLIP #2:

(WYFF4 - January 10, 2018)

Pennsylvania: Idiot Dylan Tressler posts photo of himself holding two ducks which were brutally killed; moron Josh Jenkins-Howenstine charged with animal cruelty

PENNSYLVANIA -- A disturbing photo that is circulating on social media shows a golfer holding up two dead ducks.

The ducks lived at Duck Hollow Golf Course in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

 

 

"They are residents of the golf course, and they are well-known throughout the golf course community," said Trooper Robert Broadwater.

Duck Hollow Golf Course only had two white ducks. They were inseparable and wandered around the course, following the golfers every day.

"They do follow them around, back and forth to the club house, and back and forth to the parking lot," Broadwater said.

Now, the golfing community in Uniontown is outraged after a photo surfaced on social media, showing a golfer holding up the two ducks, which were killed over the weekend. There is speculation they were run over.

State police are actively investigating and did several interviews Tuesday.

WPXI spoke to Dylan Tressler, the man in the photo who said he and his family members are now receiving death threats. He confirmed he took the photo with the dead ducks, but claims he isn't the one who killed them; when he found them, he says they were already dead. He also said he regrets taking the photo.

Yeah I pick up dead things all the time, smile and pose for photos and then post these photos online. In fact, I came across a dead baby just yesterday. It was just lying there, totally dead, y'know? I picked it up, hung it upside down. It was soooo funny! LOL! 💀 😆😆😆😆😆😆 💀

 

A Duck Hollow Course official said that state police were immediately contacted, saying in part, "We had two ducks. The ducks and all of the wildlife are a part of what makes Duck Hollow a special place."

Troopers say they could file animal-cruelty charges.

Update: 

Dylan Tressler was cleared of torturing and killing the ducks, but he's still guilty of being an odious jackass.

Police have said they have identified another man Josh Jenkins-Howenstine, aka Bubbie Jenkins, 21, of Uniontown, Pennsylvania as the suspect and they have arrested and charged him with cruelty to animals. Sources say he purposely ran down the ducks and killed them with a golf cart.

Of course, now Bubbie is telling the cops he was sh*tfaced drunk while driving a golf cart at Duck Hollow golf course and that he MAY have run over both ducks... but IF he did do it, it certainly wasn't intentional. IF he did do it, it would've been a complete accident. 

Yeah right. If you believe that, you also believe Kim Kardashian is "all natural".

 

Bubbie may want to get re-inked to add "and twelve jurors"

(The Palm Beach Post - June 6, 2017)

Texas: Police searching for the person who thought it would be fun to shoot blow darts at tame geese and kill them at the private Trophy Club golf course

TEXAS -- Police are seeking information about an unknown suspect who used blow darts to shoot and kill a goose on a golf course Friday.

A resident called police Friday evening after finding the white pilgrim goose with dart wounds to the stomach and neck near the fifth hole on the Hogan Golf Course at the Trophy Club Country Club, according to Trophy Club Police Department Lt. Tracey Shields.

The goose was taken to a nearby animal hospital, where it died, Shields said.

The darts were estimated to be about 5 inches long.

Police were trying to determine Tuesday whether the state considers the species to be threatened or protected, in which case the likely charge would be animal cruelty.

According to the website Beauty of Birds, the Pilgrim Goose is a domesticated species that is considered endangered, but I don't think there are any federal laws protecting them like endangered species that are actual wildlife.

If not, police may pursue a different charge, such as a violation of a city ordinance that prohibits shooting projectiles, Shields said.

Police are seeking additional information about the incident. If you know anything about it, call 682-831-4650.

(Star Telegram - April 17, 2017)

Oregon: Police say Joseph Seevers cruelly shot two baby geese, killing one

OREGON -- A maintenance worker at Sunriver's Meadow Golf Course has been cited for animal abuse and other charges, accused of firing a pellet rifle at a family of geese, wounding one gosling and killing another, police said Tuesday.

Officers responded shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday to the reported game violation on River Road. They determined a man working at the Meadows Golf Course had shot two juvenile goslings, said Police Chief Marc Mills.

 

Tom Pinckard, a neighbor to the course, witnessed the incident unfolding.

"I was sitting in this rocking chair with my binoculars looking at the geese, on the water. I saw a man pull out a rifle with a telescopic sight on it and begin shooting the birds. I was horrified," Pinckard said.

Pinckard said he rushed across the field and confronted the man who was shooting.

Officers brought one injured gosling to the High Desert Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation facility in Bend, where it's recovering from injuries, Mills said. The other was found dead at the location and was turned over to police as evidence.

After an investigation, police cited Joseph Neal Seevers, 39, of Bend, in lieu of custody on two counts each of animal abuse and the unlawful taking of a game animal, Mills said. His single-shot air rifle was confiscated for evidence, the chief added.

Why didn't they "arrest" him? I think in an effort to reduce jail overcrowding, some states have enacted laws that say for "minor crimes" (aka Misdemeanor crimes), the officer is to write a citation. By signing the citation, the suspect is promising to show up on their assigned court date. Basically the officer is "arresting" the suspect right there and "releasing" them on their own recognizance -- should the suspect now show up in court, a warrant can be issued for their custodial arrest. If the person refuses to sign the citation, they can be taken into custody (aka custodial arrest). 

It says a lot about our animal cruelty laws in our country that the courts consider animal cruelty to be a "minor" offense. If you steal a lawn ornament off someone's yard, it's considered the same "minor" offense as shooting innocent animals or starving your pet nearly to death.

The surviving gosling is being kept at center is kept in an oxygen chamber. Veterinary technician Jeannette Bonomo said they're trying to keep him quiet and limit his activity. The bird has a broken femur.

Bonomo said getting geese or wildlife off properties is understandable, but there's always a right way to do it instead shooting.

"Given that there are humane ways to get the geese away, there's not excuse for it. It's flat out cruel," Bonomo said.

"It was later determined that Sunriver Resort management had no knowledge of Seevers' actions," Mills said, adding that Sunriver police worked in cooperation with Oregon State Police game troopers on the incident.

At last sighting, the two adult geese were attending to the remaining goslings, Mills said.

"It is hoped that the injured gosling will be returned to its family after recovering from its injuries," he added.

Sunriver Resort Area Managing Director Tom O'Shea issued the following statement:

"On Sunday, April 17th, our management team was informed that an employee fired an air rifle at geese on the Meadows golf course, which is currently closed to the public. This staff member acted on their own accord, without prior authorization or approval from our supervisory team.

"Sunriver Resort does not condone this type of activity on property. Sunriver Resort and the employee are fully cooperating with local authorities. The resort is taking this matter extremely seriously and is investigating the situation internally to determine the next course of action," O'Shea added.

 

 

Photos provided by Pinckard, who says the geese have
come to his property for years to have their babies

Pinckard said the family of geese had nested on his porch for weeks. His wife, Suzie, said, there were a total of six baby goslings.

"It was very emotional, because these little geese have been on our deck. My wife had held them in her hands," Pinckard said.

Pinckard said his hope was that the golf course would come up with a management plan for co-existing with the wildlife and finding humane ways of removing certain animals from their property rather than resorting to injuring and killing them.

(KTVZ - Sept 20, 2016)

New York: Rensselaer County Police Officers Tyler Sammon and Matt Spath accused of deliberately chasing and exhausting groundhog and then running over and killing it

NEW YORK -- Two police officers are accused of ruthlessly chasing down a groundhog with their golf course and running over it.

The officers, who work with the Rensselaer police department in upstate New York, were suspended with pay on Friday pending an investigation over an incident at a Troy golf club which the chief of police says has 'humiliated' him.

The officers have been identified by Rensselaer Chief of Police Rick Fusco as Tyler Sammon and Matt Spath, according to News 10.

The incident took place during a police union's golf tournament at the Frear Park Golf Course in the city of Troy last Friday. There were at least 80 officers participating in the tournament.

Authorities say witnesses saw the men chase down the critter and deliberately run over it, killing it.

'When you're talking about harming an innocent animal, this is embarrassing,' Fusco said. 'I'm humiliated.'

Fusco said he will attempt to fire both officers if an investigation finds them guilty.

'Things in this country, with police officers right now, are not good. You have an innocent animal killed by a police officer, it's a perfect storm. I understand the outrage and I support the outrage because if this happened, I'm outraged myself,' he told WNYT .

'They're police officers if they did this and intentionally ran over an animal and killed it, that's disturbing to me.'

Sammon has been an officer for three years and Spath for eight, reported the outlet.

Troy City Council President Carmella Mantello said the city has zero tolerance for that behavior, according to TWC News.

Rensselaer Chief of Police Rick Fusco

Fusco admitted that the incident came to the department's attention from Facebook, when a witness from Troy posted it as a status and others began copying the status to the Rensselaer County police department's inactive page.

The original status, which read:

'While playing Frear Park golf course today, I witnessed two people in a golf cart chase down a woodchuck until it couldn't run anymore and then they ran over it with their golf cart.'

'The woodchuck managed to crawl about ten feet and rolled around a little before it died. I later learned that the two people were police officers from the City of Rensselaer, playing in a golf tournament. To the both of you: you guys must really feel good about yourselves, killing an innocent animal. To make it worse, there was a baby woodchuck nearby on hole number 12 probably wondering where it's mother was.'

Outrage followed the posts.

'Haha... put on administrative leave ...That is a joke!...They should be fired immediately!!!!!!!!' wrote one person.

'Someone with a sadistic streak like this has no business in a career of protecting and serving,' wrote another.

(Daily Mail - Aug 6, 2016)

Earlier:

• New York: Authorities investigating reports that two police officers used a golf cart to purposely run over and kill a groundhog

Wisconsin: Horrific pictures of turtle bludgeoned to death with a GOLF CLUB while laying her eggs in a bunker

WISCONSIN -- A snapping turtle has died after it was found bludgeoned in a sand bunker on a golf course.

The female turtle was found on Monday after being beaten with a golf club at the Delbrook Golf Club in Delavan, Wisconsin.

She had holes in her shell and was also struck in the right eye. The turtle, aged between 10 and 13 years old, was looking for a place to lay her eggs when she was attacked.

Surgery was planned for the turtle on Tuesday but vets only gave her a 40 per cent chance of survival.

Jeannie Lord, director of the Pineview Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, announced yesterday that she had died overnight. She said the turtle's injuries were too extensive for it to survive.

The Department of Natural Resources was called to the golf course at about 9:30am on Monday.

The beating is believed to have happened between 7:30am and 9:30am.

The Global Conservation Group of Watertown has offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has also offered a total of $5,000.

(Daily Mail - June 13, 2013)

Pennsylvania: Paul Bevan-Xenelis, 39, tried to poison his dog with hot dogs laced with insecticide. When that didn't work, he shot him 32 times in the head with a pellet gun. When that didn't work either, he abandoned him to die, tied to a fence at the Doylestown Country Club where he worked

PENNSYLVANIA -- Authorities say a former golf course superintendent fatally shot his bulldog and then left it behind a building at the suburban Philadelphia country club where he worked.

Doylestown police say 39-year-old Paul Bevan-Xenelis, 39, has been charged with cruelty to animals in connection with the July 24 shooting. Doylestown Country Club officials say he has been fired.

Investigators say the 10-year-old dog had allegedly bitten one of Bevan-Xenelis co-workers at the Doylestown Country Club a few days earlier.

Police say he tied the dog to a fence and shot Kane in the head at least 32 times as the dog was tied to a fence, Doylestown Township police said Monday. 

Eight .22 caliber slugs were recovered from the dog's body, they said.

But Kane did not die immediately from his wounds. Instead, Bevan-Xenelis left the wounded dog tied to the fence at the Doylestown Country Club, where he worked.

Police officers responding to an anonymous call around 9am found the dog under the fence at the rear of a maintenance building. The dog appeared to have fresh wounds to its face and head, they said.

The dog was taken to the SPCA where he had to be euthanized to end his suffering.

ID tags on the dog identified the owner and gave the dog's name.

Initially, they thought Bevan-Xenelis was the victim; that someone had stolen his beloved pet and tortured it to death, leaving it to die on the fence.

However, Bevan-Xenelis told them that he only shot the dog after trying to poison him to death didn't work. Apparently, he laced hot dogs with insecticide but either Kane refused to eat them or if he did eat them, they clearly didn't have the desired effect: death.

Bevan-Xenelis told police that his dog had bitten one of his co-workers at the Doylestown Country Club on Friday, July 22.

Bevan-Xenelis didn't take his dog to the vet and have him euthanized. He didn't contact the rescue he adopted the dog from. He didn't take the dog to the pound and surrender him. Intead, the next night, Saturday July 23rd, he took Kane to the Doylestown Country Club and tied the dog to a fence near a maintenance shed, police said.

He told police he left the dog there that night, but returned Sunday around 5 a.m. and shot the dog. He told police he only shot Kane once in the head. But clearly the vet report showed otherwise; that Bevan-Xenelis had shot him 32 times.

Bevan-Xenelis told police he had intended to come back later and bury the dog.

Bevan-Xenelis is a father of two young children and had adopted the dog as a family pet. Police are puzzled as to why the man would subject his pet to such cruelty.

"The unbelievable cruelty is what jumps out at you," Doylestown Township Police Chief Stephen White said Monday. "To shoot a dog 32 times in the head is obviously gross cruelty. And then to leave the dog laying there suffering is beyond horrible."

Bevan-Xenelis told police he had had adopted the dog from Chester County-based rescue All4Paws Rescue about six months ago, White said.

On Monday, a spokeswoman for that rescue group confirmed that Bevan-Xenelis did adopt the dog from them. She said the group was working with authorities on the case, and would prefer not to be identified publicly due to the violent nature of the offense.

She said the group and its volunteers were "devastated" and "heartbroken" over the attack on the dog.

The dog did not carry a county dog license, which eventually led police to charge Bevan-Xenelis additionally with having an unlicensed dog.

Animal cruelty is a misdemeanor in Pennsylvania, White said. If found guilty, Bevan-Xenelis could face a maximum of a $10,000 fine and up to 5 years in jail.

SPCA director Anne Irwin said Monday that the case is a strong one.

"The DA’s office and judges in Bucks County have always taken a strong stance on cruelty to animals," Irwin said. "I have confidence that this is going to be taken seriously in court."

(Doylestown Patch - August 2, 2011)