A New Jersey man shot the family's 20 year-old African grey parrot, Mikey,
for annoying him while he was watching a NASCAR race on television. Guess
who called the cops on him? His wife! She was upstairs when she heard three
shots, came running downstairs, saw what her husband had done, called him a
"crazy S.O.B.," then called the police, reports the Daily Record.
The man, 67 year-old Dennis Zeglin, used a BB gun to shoot Mikey on June
7, while the parrot was imprisoned in its cage. Zeglin was arrested and
charged with animal cruelty.
The man's defense? He was drunk.
--
full story:
http://www.examiner.com/x-1028-Pet-News-Examiner~y2009m9d4-Man-shoots-pet-parrot-for-being-annoying--charged-with-animal-cruelty
In Defense of Animals
YOUR CALLS ARE URGENTLY NEEDED
or Mikey's
cruel killer may get away with murder!
While Watching TV, New Jersey
Man Shoots and Kills Companion Parrot.
Terrified Mikey who was
isolated in a cage and had no way to escape, was Zeglin's innocent target.
On June 7th 2009, 67 year old Dennis Zeglin brutally shot and killed his
family's African Grey parrot with a Daisy Powerline Model 93 C02-powered BB
gun. His wife called police and animal control officers were summoned to
investigate.
Dennis Zeglin admitted to animal control officers that
he shot Mikey in his cage because the bird "irritated" him while he was
watching the NASCAR races on TV. According to reports, Zeglin had been
drinking and was intoxicated when he fired the three shots that killed Mikey.
Since the animal cruelty charges were filed, Zeglin has been undergoing
counseling for his alcoholism according to Zeglin's Defense Attorney,
Stephen Fletcher. Fletcher also claims that Zeglin is a first time offender
and has applied for an Intervention Probationary Program. This may suggest
that Mikey's cruel assailant may get nothing more than a slap on the wrist
for brutally murdering an innocent, and highly intelligent creature.
Undisputed, scientifically proven evidence supports the link between
violence to humans and violence to animals and we believe that Zeglin's
violent act could have easily been directed toward a human family member or
their family dog.
Every year millions of captive birds suffer from
abuse and neglect like Mikey. It is estimated that the majority of captive
birds suffer and die prematurely, secretly and silently behind closed doors,
from horrendous abuse, malnutrition, and starvation, and live in deplorable
conditions, with no hope for rescue. It is also estimated that the majority
of captive birds who do survive, suffer an entire lifetime of agony and
loneliness.
PLEASE DEMAND JUSTICE FOR MIKEY NOW!
Let his story
remind you that millions of captive birds need your help before they endure
similar tragedies.
Please call Judge Thomas Manahan and politely let
him know that there is no excuse for animal abuse and urge him to sentence
Zeglin to the fullest extent of the law, incarcerating Zeglin for his
cruelty. Also request that Zeglin be required to undergo counseling and
attend humane education classes.
Your voice must be heard before
Zeglin's court hearing, which is set for September 9, 2009.
Contact
Judge Thomas Manahan
RE: Dennis Zeglin
Case # 09001561
(973)
656-4050
Go to IDA's Exotic Birds Campaign site for more information
on the captive bird crisis.
In Defense of Animals, located in San
Rafael, Calif., is an international animal protection organization with more
than 85,000 members and supporters dedicated to ending the abuse and
exploitation of animals by protecting their rights and welfare. IDA's
efforts include educational events, cruelty investigations, boycotts,
grassroots activism, and hands-on rescue through our sanctuaries in
Mississippi, Mumbai, India, and Cameroon, Africa.
In Defense of
Animals is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We welcome your
feedback and appreciate your donations. Please join today! All donations to
IDA are tax-deductible.
In Defense of Animals
3010 Kerner, San
Rafael, CA 94901
Tel. (415) 448-0048 Fax (415) 454-1031
idainfo@idausa. org
