Happy Anniversary, Burrell and DH!

Er...Thanks, but no thanks.

Man given costume option for slaying dog
December 16, 2006

PAINESVILLE, Ohio --A man who shot his Great Dane in the head may have his jail sentence reduced if he dresses up as a dog.

Municipal Judge Michael Cicconetti offered Thursday to cut Robert M. Clark's sentence to 10 days in jail if he wears a Safety Pup costume and visits the city's five elementary schools. The mascot educates children about issues ranging from traffic safety to drug abuse.

Clark, 38, pleaded no contest to an animal cruelty charge and was sentenced to 180 days in jail for shooting his dog.

Cicconetti suspended all but 30 days of Clark's sentence if he pays the Lake County Human Society for the dog's veterinarian bills. The judge then offered to cut an additional 20 days if Clark dresses up as Safety Pup.

Clark was arrested July 3 after neighbors reported hearing the dog's cries and police found the injured animal. The humane society took the dog to an emergency veterinary clinic, but he suffered brain damage and had to be euthanized, the group said.

Clark is appealing the sentence, court officials said.

Can the parents at whatever school appeal the sentence, because if this were an option in my own community, I really wouldn't want my kids being taught ethics and life lessons by "adults" who obviously need to learn so much, themselves.

Hi kids! I'm Safety Pup! Safety Pup says, 'Never shoot dogs in the head!'

Exactly.

Because if you do, you'll have to wear this stupid question, and go around telling other kids exactly what I'm telling you.

I mean, also? I (as a law-abiding parent) need a criminal records check every three years, in order to serve as a chaperone on field trips or volunteer in the classroom, the office, or the lunch room. And I'm down with that. It's certainly not a foolproof method of keeping dangerous people out of schools, but it's a filter that at least catches the most obviously dangerous.

The story does not mention extenuating circumstances, like for instance the dog having the guy's leg in his mouth at the time -- something that makes the shooting understandable, and less indicative that this person is violent and lacks impulse control, so I'm thinking elementary schools are not the place for him.

Great Danes are notoriously even-tempered. Although if I suspected someone was about to shoot me, I'd probably bite him.

Right.

But it doesn't say anything about biting, anyhow. I'd think if there was something like that, the article would have mentioned it. (Of course, I'm often caught off guard by inept reporting.)

The only danger I felt from Great Danes in my life was the fear of drowning in drool. I would be most unpleased to have this guy visiting my school. We have to fill out new paperwork every year to work in the school or go on field trips. The judge needs to wear a dog costume.

I was disappointed that they didn't hew closer to Tolkien's original dialogue for the scene between Eowyn and the Witch King

"Begone if you be not deathless!"

Yeah.

Or at least ripping off her helmet and saying, "I am no man. You face a woman!" Damn, the chill I got when I first read that. 'Cause I was young and clueless enough that I still thought Dernhelm was just some soldier, not that it was Eowyn in disguise. I literally sat up in surprise when I read that.

I am so happy someone talked Jackson out of having Arwen pop up at Helm's Deep.

I wouldn't want that man within five feet of my kids. If the judge wanted to teach the man a lesson, he needs to do it some other way--maybe have the guy volunteer at a no-kill shelter cleaning out dog cages or something like that.

What Cashmere said. If community service is part of the sentence, let it fit the crime. Wearing a dog outfit doesn't fit shooting a dog.