Livingston Parish Louisiana

Unemployed man who stated he couldn't afford food lets his dogs starve

Livingston Parish, Louisiana - Sheriff's Deputies arrested Vernon Glenn Hollingsworth of Springfield on two counts of animal cruelty; one felony count cruelty and one misdemeanor count.

Acting on a neighbor's complaint about two starving dogs, deputies entered the house on West Street to find a boxer and a black Labrador retriever extremely malhourished. Neither dog had access to water, and there was no food available.

The owner of the dogs said he was unemployed and could not afford to feed the dogs. He stated that occasionally he would get some food for the dogs from his neighbors or his family.

The dogs were taken to the Tangipahoa Parish Humane Society where the boxer was in such terrible condition he was humanely euthanized. The Labrador retriever is expected to survive.

There are viable alternatives when an owner can no longer afford to care for their pet. It's not always easy to ask for help, but an example like this shows the cruelty and susequent agonizing death of an animal. At the time, an owner decides he can no longer afford to feed his dogs, it is necessary to ask a neighbor or family for help. Prioritize and spend the time finding a new home for your pets - use the Internet; contact PetFinder.com or another reputable website to help find your pets safe and happy homes.

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The Wild Hunt » A Message from the Louisiana Alliance of Wiccans

“No one in Livingston Parish wants any witches here, and it IS our right, and our DUTY to make the experience of anyone attending this gathering as educational as possible. We are praying for the salvation of all the people in attendance. We are also gathering people to bring the gospel to these attending. We hope many people will learn about the true Lord while they are in our parish. – Longtime resident of Livingston Parish, anxiously waiting to meet all of you!”

Once again, the headlines in Livingston Parish, Louisiana are ablaze because Wiccans are standing up for their right to choose to follow a religion that isn’t Christianity. This time, however, the problem is not with the Parish leaders, but rather some extremist[s] who appear to claim to be Christians. They have attempted to stop two Pagan festivals scheduled in Livingston Parish through a program of defamation of Wicca and Wiccans and they are apparently calling others to take acts that appear to be designed to terrorize the festivals and their speakers. Presently, each of the Pagan festivals will now be forced to provide security for these events, and it is thought that turnout will be low or non-existent as a result of the actions of these defamers.

The festivals that have been attacked are the Gryphon’s Nest Campground Grand Opening scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend. The other festival attacked was the Annual LAW Festival set for May, 8, 2010. LAW is a non-profit organization which has just received 501(c)(4) tax exempt status by the IRS, whose purpose includes protecting the legal rights of Wiccans. The organization grew from the support received by local Wiccan groups, including The CPWC and the Coven of the Gryphon, in the fight against the Livingston Parish Anti-Divination Ordinance, which suit resulted in victory for the Wiccan community. Subsequently, LAW has retained legal counsel for individuals whose religious rights or problems have been at issue in the Court system in Louisiana and those individuals have had problems in Jefferson Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Livingston Parish, and Ascension Parish.

Instead, I urge you to write your elected representatives to create laws that will protect Wiccans’ values and to add stiff criminal penalties for those who commit terrorist acts to promote their religion at the expense of Wicca. Please feel free to contact LAW to obtain sample letters to send to your elected representatives and to help you identify your elected representatives.