Ooh, remember show dog handler and winner of last year's Betty
Remember how she got a light tap on the nose with a newspaper for her callous indifference to the suffering and deaths of seven dogs whom she had been hired to trot out at dog pageants?
Well guess what?
It turns out that Ms. Wild has been as respectful of, and has attended as diligently to, the court's judgment as she was of the welfare of her canine charges.
Well, that's not entirely fair. She did complete and turn in her court-ordered essay, "What I did on my summer vacation." I for one would love to read it. And I am well-qualified by experience to assign a grade that will really go on her permanent record.
But as for showing up to de-tick the terriers and scoop the shi tzu at the local pound -- well, caring for dogs is apparently still beneath her.
J.T. Taylor, Jefferson County's animal control manager, wrote a letter last month to Katherine Tower, who prosecuted the case, saying that Wild did not show up to complete her community service, nor did she call to say why she hadn't come.
He declined to comment further when reached by phone Tuesday.
Court documents say Wild was to perform her community service in two 40-hour blocks in August, working from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Mondays.
Her tasks were to include giving the animals food and water, doing animal intake evaluations and minor grooming. She also was to help de-worm, de-flea and de-tick animals, as well as perform “animal socialization and exercise therapy.”
The shelter normally does not allow people convicted of an animal-related crime or a violent crime to work in the shelter, but made an exception for Wild “due to the unique nature of the judge's intent for defendant Mary Wild's community service,” the documents say.
Now there's your problem, right there. Eight in the morning?! Are they kidding?! Sleepyhead Princess needs her beauty rest! Haven't y'all figured that out by now?
I wonder what time the lights come on in the county lockup?
I wonder how Ms. Wild's crime will go over with an assortment of prostitutes, drug users, paperhangers, shoplifters, and other female prisoners whose crimes were against (inanimate) property, or no one at all, but who did not get an opportunity to avoid their incarceration by performing odious "animal socialization and exercise therapy" at the county shelter.
Her parole is now suspended. Next month, a hearing on revoking it entirely. Wonder what story she will spin when next she chats with Judge Dikhaner?
Have you heard anything about whether she has been sued by the dogs' owners?
ReplyDeleteGood question. I could find nothing on this topic.
ReplyDeleteI have never understood the reasoning behind a sentence of "community service" at a shelter if one is any kind of animal abuser. If one abuses children, no one would think it makes sense to have work in a daycare as punishment. It's not as if a person who has such disregard of animals is going to even care about doing a decent job in a shelter environment anyway, so since they won't be helping the shelter, and they can't be expected to learn compassion while there, it's an ineffective and stupid punishment. Better to make her pick up trash in a city park or along roadsides, with photos of it in the paper to let the community know about her 'rehabilitation' efforts.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't speak much to her being particularly contrite, does it?
ReplyDeleteHope she enjoys lock-up.
I know this has nothing to do with your post (never heard of this woman), but had to say that this is my FAVORITE scene in "The Blues Brothers" - and possibly my favorite musical moment of all time.
ReplyDeleteBetty