June 2010/San Antonio, Texas: MySanAntonio.com reported that two men had received prison sentences for torturing to death cats they acquired through Craigslist ads. November 2013/Quincy, Massachusetts: BostonGlobe.com reported that a man had been charged with 11 counts of cruelty to animals and one count of misleading police investigators after acquiring a dog from a Craigslist ad who was found three months later lying in the street weighing half her normal bodyweight with broken bones, burns, dislocated joints, a split tongue, and a stabbed eye. July 2014/Reno, Nevada: RGJ.com reported that a man had been charged with five felony counts of willful torture of an animal for allegedly killing and dismembering five dogs in a Reno motel. Animal control took custody of all the animals, and the four people in the vehicle were cleared of any wrongdoing. July 2021/Wolfeboro, New Hampshire: LaconiaDailySun.com reported that authorities had arrested Brendan Elwell on cruelty-to-animals charges for allegedly killing four kittens and leaving their remains near a walking path. According to the report, Elwell allegedly admitted to authorities that he had been killing cats. Once you hand an animal over, the situation is out of your control, and theres no way for you to know what may happen. U.S. only. Charles County, Missouri: STLToday.com reported that Kaine A. Louzader was facing felony charges of cruelty to animals after he allegedly killed at least 12 cats. The news source said that according to the prosecuting attorney, He got the cats and kittens from people who were offering them for sale or for free on Craigslist. The report also said that according to a county police sergeant, Louzader admitted scouring Craigslist ads for cats or kittens. A responding officer killed the badly injured animal with two shots to the head. He took the felines home, where he stomped on their heads or strangled them in a bathtub or on the patio. The seller said, Bella is paying for our mistake, Im sorry, and I dont want anyone else to have to go through that. She contacted the sheriffs department but was told that it wasnt a criminal matter. July 2020/Brandon, Florida: ABCActionNews.com reported that a sick puppy purchased through a Craigslist ad had died. Additionally, Mr. Elwell stated he has thrown parts of the cats in the previous owners yards. According to the report, during a search of Elwells bedroom, police found guns, air soft guns, knives, swords, hatchets and a hammer. The police staff sergeant reportedly stated in an affidavit, Many of the cutting weapons and the hammer had what appeared to be animal hair on them as well as blood. Authorities also found two live young kittens in a plastic container, which they brought to a humane society. The animals back legs had been bound and [a] screwdriver, with what officers said appeared to be blood, was lying beside the cat. A suspect was arrested and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. Many had flea infestations, skin and ear infections, internal parasites, deformities and respiratory infections.. July 2014/Dayton, Ohio: DaytonDailyNews.com reported that more than a dozen dogs had been seized by authorities after they were found in deplorable conditions, underweight, and suffering from eye infections, skin conditions, and other health issues. According to the report, the buyer found the dog through a Craigslist post advertising cute black puppies ready to go with all the shots. Officers also found the severely injured dog [named Canelo] in the home, lying on a bed, along with blood spatters in both the bedroom and bathroom. Animal control officers removed the barely alive dog, the news release states. Prosecutors said one of the cats he got from the shelter was found dead on the property. We heard about scammers but never really thought it would happen to us. The family was reportedly suing the seller, who denied the transaction ever took place., October 2020/Raleigh, North Carolina: ABC11.com reported that a puppy had to be euthanized just hours after he was purchased through an ad on Craigslist. Investigators witnessed and videotaped the owner and employees of the facility selling large amounts of horse meat, violently stabbing pigs in the heart and boiling them alive, slitting throats of goats and rams before hoisting them by their hind legs then skinning them alive, and brutally stomping on ducks, slitting their throats and drowning them in their own blood. Two men were arrested and faced multiple criminal charges, including causing cruel death to conservation animals and torment, deprivation, mutilation or killing of conservation animals., Smell of smoke still obvious where dog was burned alive. Officials at the Humane Society also said they believe [the accused] was getting this new crop of animals from Craigslist and said it is a good reminder to always do your homework when trying to rehome an animal. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said, Theres numerous shelters in the area. According to the news report, They also face charges for neglecting two dogs, one [who] prosecutors say suffered from untreated infections, malnourishment and inappropriate living conditions., April 2018/Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: WPXI.com reported that authorities had charged a man with more than 100 counts of felony cruelty to animals after finding more than 50 dead animals at his home. @13NewsNow pic.twitter.com/3SBsTBZm5L, Brian Farrell 13News (@13BrianFarrell) June 1, 2015. He had allegedly been looking at Craigslist ads trying to find cats or kittens to kill as sacrifices. A woman said that she gave him two kittens she had apparently advertised on the site, and she called police when he contacted her a few days later requesting more. February 2015/Olympia, Washington: USAToday.com reported that a man had been charged with 12 counts of cruelty to animals for allegedly starving and torturing animals he had acquired through Craigslist ads. Animal crushing is a form of abuse that has sometimes been filmed and posted online as pornography for individuals with a crushing fetish. According to the news release, Scott began posting images and videos over various social media platforms, that depicted Scott torturing and graphically killing cats and dogs by hanging, skinning and other means Officials said they believe Scott obtained the animals she allegedly tortured by responding to online ads [including those posted on Craigslist] from individuals who were seeking to give away their unwanted pets for adoption. During the search, the FBI recovered numerous animal parts and skulls that were consistent with the size of cats and dogs, the news release said. If you have no choice but to part with your animal companions, please try to find the right home for them by thoroughly vetting potential adopters with a home inspection, background check, and more. A veterinarian then had to euthanize Canelo after determining the pup had fractured bones in his head and chest, officials said. Ramos-Corrales reportedly told FBI agents during questioning that he bought Canelo as a small puppy from a Craigslist posting several months earlier. The case was ongoing. July 2013/Houston, Texas: KHOU.com reported that a dog who had been given away through a Craigslist ad was abandoned on a road by her new owner. In text messages, the seller said the pups had their first shots and were dewormed. No records were provided, and the buyers apparently met the seller at a neutral location. Some required immediate medical treatment, and one dog was found dead. Someone found the dog in Virginia Beach and re-homed [him or her] through Craigslist under false pretenses, animal control said. A spokesperson for the public animal shelter reportedly said, This is a prime example of why we tell people to not give animals away on Craigslist. No additional details were available. June 2015/New Bedford, Massachusetts: SouthCoastToday.com reported that authorities had found 46 dead and neglected animals, many of whom had been acquired through Craigslist ads, in an apartment. Investigators discovered a blood-spattered room and dead kittens at his property and were told by the accused that he had a cat room where he would throw kittens on the floor, stomp on them, or wring their necks because he was angry at the world.. The dogwho was apparently living in the vehicle with four people, a rabbit, two cats, and a snakelost most of his foot pads and nails during the incident. Msg/data rates may apply. Law-enforcement agents were alerted to the pair after a woman gave them a dog and then saw the dog advertised for sale online a few days later. September 2021/Lee County, Florida: FOX4Now.com reported that authorities had charged Ashley Howard and Charles Koon with cruelty to animals after an emaciated dog was apparently turned into or found by an animal adoption group. to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. July 2020/Kokomo, Indiana: IdahoStatesman.com reported that federal authorities had arrested 19-year-old Krystal Scott, of Kokomo, Indiana, on two felony charges of making and distributing animal crush videos. The animals included 33 chickens, 18 ducks, and five rabbits found dead on a porch and in garbage bags in the yard. Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. ' Scott was reportedly charged with two counts of making and distributing animal crush videos. The report went on to say, The investigation stemmed from an animal cruelty complaint in which two people said they witnessed a womanbelieved to be [the accused]in the backyard stomping a dog in the head. Reportedly, no one was home when officers arrived but when they knocked on the door and looked inside, they could see a number of animals in cages. These ads, commonly seen in the pets section of Craigslist, on Facebook community pages, or in the classified section of newspapers, have proved to be extremely dangerousand in some cases, deadlyto animals. A witness said that the pig was squealing and trying to run away from a man with a rifle and that a pickax was lodged in the back of the screaming animal, whohours laterwas then beaten in the face with poles. July 2012/Troutdale, Oregon: KPTV.com reported that two weeks after being acquired through a Craigslist ad, a dog was accidentally left tied to a Jeep and dragged through a parking lot. A woman who witnessed the terrified dogs dumping was able to have the dogs microchip traced to a man who had given her away via Craigslist several months earlier. Her condition was so serious that euthanasia was determined to be the most humane course of action. The accused paid a couple $40 for the dog after responding to a Craigslist ad and claiming to live on a large farm in Connecticut. A cat was discovered beaten to death, and another reportedly had a rope around his or her neck. Blood spatter was found in the suspects car, and a photo of a tortured cat was discovered on his phone. She wouldnt have been in this position if she wasnt re-homed on Craigslist. Around the same time images of a kitten hanged from a ligature, later seen on the ground in a different image, and followed by a video of what appears to be the same kitten hanging again from the ligature and the comment, Little (expletive) was still alive so rehanged it. Ammonia levels in the home were deemed unsafe for humans. The dog was seized after he was found chained in the couples backyard with only an undersized travel carrier for shelter and stagnant green water to drink. But after taking him to the vet and paying a $1,200 bill, the family learned Scottie was ill and tested positive for Parvo. Neighbors said the pit bull attacked two people walking by the home with their two dogs. If she wasnt sold and given away on Craigslist. According to the report, the dog had landed in the home of Howard and Koon. January 2021/Tulsa County, Oklahoma: FOX23.com reported that after a dog had been adopted from an animal shelter, he was rehomed to someone else over Craigslist. The person who acquired the dog later took him to a veterinary hospital in a garbage bag. July 2020/Virginia Beach, Virginia: WAVY.com reported that authorities were looking for a family that had reportedly acquired a dog via a Craigslist ad. The woman who witnessed the abandonment planned to keep the dog. Animal control says the first family that took in the dog didnt think [the animal] fit in well with their family, so the dog was rehomed again to a second family. Conditions in the home were described as beyond deplorable, and animals were described as neglected. The stench of animal waste and animal urine [was] overwhelming, according to a first responder. January 2020/Des Moines, Iowa: WHOTV.com reported that the day after Yelena Barr was arrested and released for severely beating a dog in her custody, she purchased another dog, who had been advertised on Craigslist. But then after drinking alcohol, he decided to kill them. During an interview with a police staff sergeant, Elwell reportedly stated there were a lot of videos and pictures on his phone detailing what he did to the cats . She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that she was infested with multiple internal parasites and severely anemic. But [the buyer] says before they even got home, the puppy was very sick. November 2015/Fargo, North Dakota: ValleyNewsLive.com reported that a woman had sold her dog through a Craigslist ad to a family that never paid and told her days later that the dog had died after she was hit by a car. The new owner reportedly told staff that he or she had found a stray that had been hit and killed by a car. May 2019/Las Vegas, Nevada: News3LV.com reported that three family members were facing criminal charges after they allegedly responded to internet advertisements to acquire animals who were then resold for profit. The dogs new guardian said that [h]e was not told of any behavior issues at the time of the adoption. The adopter was reportedly checking his mail when he heard loud screams from down the road. By submitting this form, you are agreeing to our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal info in accordance with our privacy policy as well as to receiving e-mails from us. A man identified as one of the people seen beating and shooting the pig was arrested and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, according to the local sheriffs office. GoErie.com reported that when authorities seized 46 animals from the womans custody in May, the majority of them had been found locked two per cage around their own feces and urine, and suffered from medical conditions, according to an investigator. A probable cause affidavit reportedly stated that an overwhelming stench of old and fresh feces/urine [was] emanating from the garage area. Flies were swarming around the garage door. March 2015/James City County, Virginia: WYDaily.com reported that two kittens who had been acquired through Craigslist ads were the victims of repeated acts of violence. Boyer allegedly adopted the cats from Craigslist ads and even took two home from the San Diego Humane Society. Although Craigslist prohibits the sale of animals on its site, it still allows animals to be given away for free or via a small re-homing fee. They shot the animal twice in the side, causing injury. FOX59.com reported that authorities had received information from tipsters, including an advertisement on Facebook of a person trying to find a home for a gray kitten, a pregnant Siamese cat and a black kitten instead of taking them to a shelter. The cats were allegedly taken in by a Facebook user named Sam or Sammy and were delivered around June 18 to a residence in West Kokomo. About half of them were dead, and the survivors were badly malnourished. Text ROCKY to 73822 to urge officials to allow Rocky a lone coyote, who is pacing in apparent distress in a tiny cage, to move to an accredited sanctuary. Three cats were found dead and duct-taped to a piece of plywood. During an interrogation, hed admitted to acquiring cats through Craigslist ads and reportedly said, If you look on Craigslist, theres so many people selling cats. After he was paroled, a woman said that he responded to an ad that shed placed on the site to find a new home for her cat. The roommate of the person who acquired the kittens was convicted of cruelty to animals after the kittens were repeatedly taken to a veterinarian for traumatic injuries, including a swollen forehead, eye trauma, dilated pupils, a punctured lung, and fractured ribs. September 2014/Kennett, Missouri: DDDNews.com reported that authorities had found a starved and neglected dog at the residence of a couple who had acquired him through a Craigslist ad. When responding to ads on Craigslist, the accused reportedly told people that he wanted to rescue their pets. Two dogs, two rabbits, and three rats were found alive and seized. According to the woman, her ex-boyfriend said that the person I gave them to was a sick person . The person delivering the cats was interviewed by the FBI and provided a description of a female later identified as Scott. Scott apparently later posted in a private chat on an Instagram account, Ill be killing a pregnant Siamese and a kitten later on today, and, Ill be dispatching two cats so Ill be posting the videos, as well as pictures of a gray kitten, a black kitten and a Siamese cat inside a black wire cage. November 2017/Alamogordo, New Mexico: CNN.com reported that the man responsible for a mass shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, in which he killed 26 people, had told a friend that hed acquired dogs through Craigslist ads and killed them for target practice., September 2017/Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: DelcoTimes.com reported that a woman who had been convicted of cruelty to animals after cutting off a puppys ears with scissors was back in custody after violating the conditions of her probation, which included an order not to own any animals or have contact with animals. A probation officer reported that shed received information that the woman had purchased a guinea pig from a pet store and tried to obtain several dogs through ads on Craigslist. November 2016/Provo, Utah: Good4Utah.com reported that a man had been arrested and charged with three counts of felony cruelty to animals in connection with the torture and killing of as many as 11 cats. September 2016/St. Her condition was so severe that she had to be euthanized. The animal was seized and taken to a shelter for medical treatment. April 2011/Boynton Beach, Florida: PalmBeachPost.com reported that a man who had been charged with 11 counts of cruelty to animals and 12 counts of unlawful abandonment or confinement of an animal claimed to have acquired some of the animals through Craigslist ads. Let them suffer for minutes or hours. She reportedly asked two neighbors to do the killing while she went to purchase a freezer. April 2008/Orlando, Florida: Fox35Orlando.com reported that authorities were investigating after a dog adopted through a Craigslist ad was killed within days by other dogs the adopter used as guards at his property. Authorities were reportedly investigating. Stay up to date on the latest vegan trends and get breaking animal rights news delivered straight to your inbox! He did not have the new owners name, address, or other contact information. Youve Never Seen Disney Dogs Like This PETA Artists Portrayal. He allegedly strangled and punched them, struck one with a mallet, broke the legs of one, and stabbed another in the eye with a knife. At the time of the report, the large-breed dog reportedly weighed just 23 pounds. The clinic determined [the dog] had actually been shot in the head, and to their amazement, was still alive in the bag. A spokesperson for an animal adoption group that had apparently agreed to pay for the treatment reportedly said that the clinic didnt just treat a bullet wound that went through the dogs skull near his eye and out the bottom of his lower jaw, but they also believe the dog had injuries like [he] had been beaten. He was expected to survive. The women faced cruelty-to-animals charges as well as a charge of endangering the welfare of a child, a 12-year-old boy who was also living in the home. October 2013/Athens, Alabama: WAFF.com reported that a man had been charged with 22 counts of cruelty to animals for allegedly torturing and killing kittens he had acquired through Craigslist ads. According to the report, the woman already faces 90 animal cruelty and neglect charges from May. I know sometimes were full, and it may be a few days before we can take [someone] in but look for a shelter because we really do our homework when we look at where we put animals. The woman was reportedly out of jail on bond and prohibited from keeping any animals as a condition of her bond. The dog was receiving veterinary care at a government-run shelter. Catharines, Ontario, Canada: NiagaraThisWeek.com reported that three cats who had been given away for free via online ads were tortured and killed by their new owner. The news reporter tried call[ing] the seller and the two different numbers the [buyers] had for the seller were already disconnected. The outlet reported that it hears from viewers monthly who have been scammed when trying to welcome a new [animal companion] into their home., August 2020/Colorado Springs, Colorado: KKTV.com reported that just hours after a pit bull had been adopted through a Craigslist ad, the dog attacked two people and two dogs and was shot to death. Several other animals shed acquired couldnt be accounted for. PETA-Rescued Labradoodle Looking for New Home, Breeding Breathing-Impaired Dogs Is Flat-Out Cruel, Celebrate International Friendship Day With These Heartwarming PETA Rescue Stories, PETA Primate Scientist Eviscerates Experimentation Industrys Pathetic Secrecy Defense. One kitten was found apparently set on fire and burning in a gutter. A GPS tracker on his collar led investigators to the property. Although its against the websites policy to sell pets on the site, people are allowed to post pets up for adoption and some backyard breeders are placing ads charging a rehoming fee. Inside the shed were firearms, a crossbow with arrows, bats and knives. Boyer was the only one with access to it and told his family to stay away from it, prosecutors said. Leonard was reportedly not found at the property and was believed to be dead. According to the news report, the suspect told authorities that hed acquired them from people giving them away for free on Craigslist.. They were reportedly facing 14 counts, including conspiracy to commit burglary, burglary, and cruelty to animals. If youve ever browsed Craigslist, youve likely seen ads offering animals free to a good home or for sale via a re-homing fee. An investigation apparently revealed that the pup had been acquired free of charge through an ad on Craigslist. He tested positive for heartworm disease and was described by the responding officer as looking like a skeleton painted brown. She said that in some places, the skin had broken down, and the bones were (showing) through. The dog remained in the custody of the city, and citations were issued to the couple. She met him at a coffee shop and handed the cat over to the suspect, who she said seemed like a really awesome guy, like someone I would have been friends with in college. He then stopped responding to her calls. The officer told her to stop but Barr said she would not and carried the dog to her apartment and threw [him] inside. An increasing number of people are also hesitant to take animals to shelters because of no-kill rhetoric and propaganda that puts them in a bad light. A fourth cat was reportedly doused in gasoline and burned alive while tied to a tree. He was taken to a veterinary hospital but died shortly thereafter. If youre unable to find an excellent home for your animals, take them to areputable open-admission shelter. June 2013/Ingham County, Michigan: WILX.com reported that a dog who had been given away through a Craigslist ad was kicked and beaten so badly that he has a permanent limp. April 2021/Riverside, California: KTLA.com reported that authorities had arrested a man who allegedly tortured a dog whom he said hed acquired through a Craigslist ad. He said the contents on his phone would give the staff sergeant nightmares. The news report stated that Elwell said he had been killing a cat per a month for about a year. A criminal complaint reportedly stated, The defendant, Brandon Elwell used a knife to cut up and dismember a small kitten then transported some of the remains to the public Bridge Falls Path and intentionally placed the remaining parts of the dead kitten near the path. Elwell reportedly told someone that he was the person who placed [dismembered animals] in the park and that he has thrown them at cars while he has driven down the road. He was convicted on a number of cruelty-to-animals charges, resulting in a 12-year ban on animal ownership, a six-month jail sentence, a fine, and an order to provide a DNA sample. Unfortunately there are people who want to harm animals and this is an easy way for them to get them.. A veterinarian who performed a necropsy on the dogs body reported that the animal, found in a wooded area, had her four feet tied together and was muzzled before someone apparently poured a flammable liquid down her back and set her on fire. November 2017/Hollywood, Florida: Heavy.com reported that authorities had charged a man with aggravated cruelty to animals after a pit bull was found badly injured, crying, and stuffed inside a suitcase dumped in an alley. Then he drowned them, the kittens in the toilet, the larger cats in the bathtub. A later report revealed that the Delaware Attorney Generals Office had launched an investigation into what had happened to the cats he had acquired since his release from prison.