Richard Medeiros Mistreated
The Mistreated Bloated Bellies, rotten hooves, swollen, puffy, puss covered eyes. These are some of the conditions of the animals from Richard Medeiros’ farm. Westport, Massachusetts July 2016 Richard Medeiros was captured along with twenty-seven other people abusing animals. At the time of the crime Richard Medeiros was at age of 83. Richard was healthy for his age and a father of four. While there was nothing wrong with Medeiros mentally, he had been involved in animal crime many times before this instance. Nothing lead him to abuse those poor innocent animals except himself. Medeiros did not get away with what he did; his farm was taken, he might go to jail for life, and the abuse is on his permanent record. You would think that there
was something wrong with the abusers involved. That was not the case all of the offenders had no mental issues and were all in great health. Some of the people in this disaster stated that they had “horrible” encounters with the animals. As if giving themselves excuses to abuse those innocent animals. It is hard to believe that the 1400 animals they abused were all harming humans. The rescuers were not attacked by any of the animals. Proving that the animals probably do not hurt people. If Medeiros had been convicted of the crimes he did before he might not have hurt those 1400 animals. For example, “In 2010, Medeiros was also charged with, but not convicted of, animal cruelty, after authorities discovered malnourished dogs, cows with open wounds, and dead calves on the farm. Several tenants were also charged in that case, including one named again in the most recent indictment” (Levenson). “The animals—including pigs, cats, dogs, horses, rabbits, sheep and cows—exhibited signs of neglect, and many appeared to have no access to food or water.” (“CASE UPDATE:”). Richard Medeiros is responsible in this situation because he owned the farm, took the dead animal bodies out, didn’t tell anyone, and failed to feed or water the animals correctly. The police and ASPCA found animals with swollen hooves, bloated stomachs, jutting bones, and kennels with no water to be found. Medeiros and his twenty-seven other offenders were charged with a whopping 151 offenses. Not only did animals die, people are suffering by going to jail. “Rescue groups spent more than $1.4 million to rehabilitate and relocate the animals”(Ryan). If people have no problem abusing animals, who feel pain, what stops them from abusing someone else? This disaster could have been stopped easily by Richard Medeiros standing up for the animals when he saw how abused they were, and could’ve refrained from abusing the animals himself. Medeiros made it worse when he denied he did anything wrong. If Medeiros would have stepped up for these animals the dead would be alive, he wouldn’t be going to jail, also wouldn’t have lost his farm, last but not least his permanent record wouldn’t have this offense on it. The result of this disaster is devastating. This event is eye-opening to how cruel our world can be. Medeiros is going to jail for his behavior. He is an awful man, or he could merely be a man that made an awful decision. Nothing can lead you to do something that horrible if you don’t let it, and if you stay strong. His mind was corrupt when he made the decision to abuse those innocent animals, and be a bystander. Still the fact stands that whenever people see an animal being abused they need to stand up, they may get a life long furry or non-furry friend, but it’s also just the right thing to do. Whenever you see a person, or animal getting abused remember the right thing to do, and be the one to stand strong and fight back.
Works Cited
“CASE UPDATE: 26 Indicted in New England’s Largest Farm Animal Cruelty Case.” ASPCA, 2017, www.aspca.org/news/case-update-26-indicted-new-englands-largest-farm-animal-cruelty-case. Accessed 18 Sept. 2017.
Ryan, David L. “ Westport Farm Animal Cruelty Case .” BostonGlobe.com, 31 Mar. 2017, www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/03/31/indicted-westport-farm-animal-cruelty-case/Hl4uT0LJkJH9XwhaqNg2fM/story.html Stevenson, Rochelle. "Redefining and Addressing Animal Abuse." Society & Animals, vol. 24, no. 3, May 2016, pp. 311-313. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1163/15685306-12341409.
was something wrong with the abusers involved. That was not the case all of the offenders had no mental issues and were all in great health. Some of the people in this disaster stated that they had “horrible” encounters with the animals. As if giving themselves excuses to abuse those innocent animals. It is hard to believe that the 1400 animals they abused were all harming humans. The rescuers were not attacked by any of the animals. Proving that the animals probably do not hurt people. If Medeiros had been convicted of the crimes he did before he might not have hurt those 1400 animals. For example, “In 2010, Medeiros was also charged with, but not convicted of, animal cruelty, after authorities discovered malnourished dogs, cows with open wounds, and dead calves on the farm. Several tenants were also charged in that case, including one named again in the most recent indictment” (Levenson). “The animals—including pigs, cats, dogs, horses, rabbits, sheep and cows—exhibited signs of neglect, and many appeared to have no access to food or water.” (“CASE UPDATE:”). Richard Medeiros is responsible in this situation because he owned the farm, took the dead animal bodies out, didn’t tell anyone, and failed to feed or water the animals correctly. The police and ASPCA found animals with swollen hooves, bloated stomachs, jutting bones, and kennels with no water to be found. Medeiros and his twenty-seven other offenders were charged with a whopping 151 offenses. Not only did animals die, people are suffering by going to jail. “Rescue groups spent more than $1.4 million to rehabilitate and relocate the animals”(Ryan). If people have no problem abusing animals, who feel pain, what stops them from abusing someone else? This disaster could have been stopped easily by Richard Medeiros standing up for the animals when he saw how abused they were, and could’ve refrained from abusing the animals himself. Medeiros made it worse when he denied he did anything wrong. If Medeiros would have stepped up for these animals the dead would be alive, he wouldn’t be going to jail, also wouldn’t have lost his farm, last but not least his permanent record wouldn’t have this offense on it. The result of this disaster is devastating. This event is eye-opening to how cruel our world can be. Medeiros is going to jail for his behavior. He is an awful man, or he could merely be a man that made an awful decision. Nothing can lead you to do something that horrible if you don’t let it, and if you stay strong. His mind was corrupt when he made the decision to abuse those innocent animals, and be a bystander. Still the fact stands that whenever people see an animal being abused they need to stand up, they may get a life long furry or non-furry friend, but it’s also just the right thing to do. Whenever you see a person, or animal getting abused remember the right thing to do, and be the one to stand strong and fight back.
Works Cited
“CASE UPDATE: 26 Indicted in New England’s Largest Farm Animal Cruelty Case.” ASPCA, 2017, www.aspca.org/news/case-update-26-indicted-new-englands-largest-farm-animal-cruelty-case. Accessed 18 Sept. 2017.
Ryan, David L. “ Westport Farm Animal Cruelty Case .” BostonGlobe.com, 31 Mar. 2017, www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/03/31/indicted-westport-farm-animal-cruelty-case/Hl4uT0LJkJH9XwhaqNg2fM/story.html Stevenson, Rochelle. "Redefining and Addressing Animal Abuse." Society & Animals, vol. 24, no. 3, May 2016, pp. 311-313. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1163/15685306-12341409.