Gawddamn that makes me teary eyed.

It just goes to show you that money isn't proof of someone's good heart.

Vodka Zombie: Take everything that punk owns or calls his own and give it to the homeless guy and his bunny.


Then throw him off a bridge.

maachubo: Who would do that? What kind of dysfunction would cause a man to think that sort of behavior is ok? I ... I just don't understand.

Real men don't do shiat like this.

The sociopath to normal ratio in society is like 1-in-40 to 1-in-50.

How do I know this? A college student did an experiment which involved turtles crossing roads. Turns out 1-in-40 to 1-in-50 drivers would intentionally swerve to crush the turtle.

SpiderQueenDemon: This thread made me lonesome for the pet bunny I had as a kid, whom my uncreative brother named 'Thumper.' He lived to be eight and had a little side job as the most complete and thorough sensitive-document destroyer ever. (He used to shred, shred some more, then move it to the corner litterbox and crap on it. No ID thief or corporate spy would've touched a thing after Thumper had it.) Anyone who says rabbits don't make good pets hasn't had one like Thumper. He was friends with my then-kitten and perfectly litterbox trained outside his cage.

And if some effing chav had thrown him off a bridge, my brother would have jumped in to save him while our little sister held the chav and I punched him stupid. Good on the homeless fellow, and I hope some pro-animal business sees the value of an employee willing to do so much for our furry friends. If I'd a pet shop, I'd hire him.

Update: I hugged my bunny.  And now she's hopping.  Mine has a three cage setup (fancy fancy) and only uses the cage with litter in it to do her thing.  She's lived with four different cats at one time or another and never had any issue with 'em.  Actually, the cats were the ones who would jump and run if she hopped toward them without a care in the world.  They really did not get her, but she didn't care.  And now it's just her in the house as far as animals go and she gets alll the attention.

specialkae: In a civilized society we do not do that. Never. At all, period. I have some homeless and/or desperate living in my neighborhood, some with pets, and I would never, ever, ever dream of doing that. Ever. Usually an animal is all that a person has to cling to having lost everything else. I've seen many transient/homeless beg food for their cat/dog/whatever first and then food for themselves. But I live in Colorado and we're somewhat animal sensitive around here. Kid that did that should be penalized far worse. Is this the first time he's done such a horrible thing or only the first time he's been caught?

I knew a homeless guy who had a pet dog and slept outside since he couldn't take the dog with him to the shelter.  And yes, the dog was better fed than he was.

In a civilized society we do not do that. Never. At all, period. I have some homeless and/or desperate living in my neighborhood, some with pets, and I would never, ever, ever dream of doing that. Ever. Usually an animal is all that a person has to cling to having lost everything else. I've seen many transient/homeless beg food for their cat/dog/whatever first and then food for themselves. But I live in Colorado and we're somewhat animal sensitive around here. Kid that did that should be penalized far worse. Is this the first time he's done such a horrible thing or only the first time he's been caught?

orbister: netcentric: But to me, the real pisser is that he farked with a homeless person (who may or may not have all his faculties).

I agree. The cruelty to the rabbit was incidental, and in any case no worse than hunters, farmers and foxes do to rabbits by the thousand every day. The truly disturbing thing is the deliberate cruelty to a vulnerable person. That's what should have got this little bastard a serious sentence. Five years of working evenings and weekends at a shelter for the homeless, starting with toilet cleaning, would be a start.

Your ideas are intriguing and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

Honestly, I'm fine with rabbits being raised as meat - hell, they're the best animal you can raise on a sustainable farm (my bunny litter goes straight in the compost because it's awesome, and she dines happily on herb and veggie garden scraps during the growing season too).

But there's a difference between raising livestock or hunting (humanely in either case, mind you) and a pet.  My bunny isn't wild - she knows me and the SO, she's trusting fairly quickly with anyone we introduce her to (has to check them out first, being a prey animal and all)... and it's because she's our pet, dammit, and gets huge amounts of love and attention.  Destroying that, especially from someone who doesn't have much of anything else in this world and who has probably poured more love and attention into that bunny than I could possibly imagine... goddamn.



The silver lining to this story, other than the bunny making it, is that I learned rabbits can swim.

Well, can't say I lurved the music, but I can say I am happy the bunny made it. Yes, they can be destructive little Lagomorphs, but they are damn cute flower destoyers! And for this kid to just walk uo, grab the bunny and toss it? WTF? Too bad someone didn't woopass him on the spot!

The My Little Pony Killer: The Muthaship: LL316: The Muthaship: That's a great story, and I'm glad the asshole is going to jail.

But, that homeless dude is a f*cking moron.

Ok, I'll bite...why is he a moron?

He jumped off a bridge to save a rabbit. I understand he really liked the rabbit, but he could have been seriously hurt or killed.

How else was he supposed to get down to his drowning rabbit quickly?

The bridge isn't really that high.. I wouldn't really say he was risking his life, people jump off shiat higher than that for fun all the time.

I admit that I should have said the dude is not right in the head instead of saying he's a moron. That was unfair of me.

He went back to begging with his rabbit and dog. I wonder how many larger bills were tossed his way? I'd give him some cash.

Vodka Zombie: Take everything that punk owns or calls his own and give it to the homeless guy and his bunny.

That would be justice.

I second this.

Seriously. I wasn't exactly surprised to see that it was an 18-year old. F*cking chavs (or whatever they call them in Ireland).

orbister: Sin_City_Superhero: There's only 5000 homeless people in the entire country of Ireland? I'll bet there's more homeless people than that in Las Vegas.

There are only about 10,000 people in the Ireland these days, homeless or not. The rest scarpered when their economy tanked.

According to the Wiki:

As of April 2011 the population of Ireland stands at 4,581,269.

If there are 5000 homeless, that equates to less than one tenth of one percent of the poulation.

Dr Dreidel: Mitch Taylor's Bro: You seem to have missed this sentence in the post I was responding to: "A year of inpatient psych with lots of "therapy".

Yes, I did miss that. Point taken.

Hope: Validated! [internetfistbump.jpg] :-)

Mitch Taylor's Bro: You seem to have missed this sentence in the post I was responding to: "A year of inpatient psych with lots of "therapy".

Yes, I did miss that. Point taken.

Dr Dreidel: Mitch Taylor's Bro: I know that correlation is not causation, but there is a correlation between people who commit acts of animal cruelty and sociopaths who move on to committing more serious crimes against humans. That's why I think acts of animal cruelty need to be handled differently.

So? People who steal candy bars as kids are more likely to lead "lives of crime" as they age - does that mean petty theft gets met with therapy only as well?

Ahh, I see the disconnect. You seem to have missed this sentence in the post I was responding to: "A year of inpatient psych with lots of "therapy"." [critical word bolded by yours truly for emphasis.]

This means that the perp would be removed from polite society for longer than his 4-month jail sentence while he received evaluation and counseling about his complete lack of empathy for other living creatures.

// s-some men, y-you just cain't reach

True, but I have hope for you ;-)

Cold_Sassy: Thanks for the link. That was a very good article although at times it was hard to read. I can't believe the things that people do to poor animals.

You're welcome. Yes, it's hard to believe people would do bad things to innocent animals...until you realize the things people do to other innocent people. Humans have an incredible capacity for evil...which is only balanced out by our incredible capacity for kindness. At least I hope it balances out somehow.

Dr Dreidel: Mitch Taylor's Bro: simon_bar_sinister: 4 months is the wrong punishment. A year of inpatient psych with lots of "therapy". And make sure everyone knows about until age 30. You know the drill - local PD, employers, neighbors etc.

This. Being around regular criminals in a regular jail/prison is just going to broaden the young sociopath's horizons. He needs help for his mental illness and a note in his criminal records that show that he could develop into a full-blown sociopath. That way, the local police can keep an eye on him.

He is a "regular criminal". If he'd stolen a Twinkie from a convenience store (or "done the barest minimum to warrant any kind of jail time"), would we be asking to segregate him out?

Jail is for people who commit (certain types of) crimes. The way you laid it out, every offender who didn't rape or kill would be sent to therapy rather than jail.

// alternatively, this type of "rehabilitative therapy" is exactly what jails/prisons should be doing anyway, so...I agree?
// I'm a seamstress?!

I know that correlation is not causation, but there is a correlation between people who commit acts of animal cruelty and sociopaths who move on to committing more serious crimes against humans. That's why I think acts of animal cruelty need to be handled differently.

NY Times article, "The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome."

mdeesnuts: I'm confused why a homeless person would have a pet. They have a hard enough time taking care of themselves.

People like companionship. Even homeless people.

That's better.

Vodka Zombie: Take everything that punk owns or calls his own and give it to the homeless guy and his bunny.

That would be justice.

THIS.

/goddammit why am I at work right now
//I need to hug my bunny ASAP

Electromax: The Muthaship: LL316: The Muthaship: That's a great story, and I'm glad the asshole is going to jail.

But, that homeless dude is a f*cking moron.

Ok, I'll bite...why is he a moron?

He jumped off a bridge to save a rabbit. I understand he really liked the rabbit, but he could have been seriously hurt or killed.

True, but he's been homeless since he was 14. If you have one possession in the world, particularly a living breathing one, you probably cling to it pretty tight. It could be the only thing keeping him going. Or maybe you aren't as concerned about being hurt or killed when the only thing you have to lose is being lost right in front of you. Dunno, but I think it would be difficult for any farker to put themselves in the mind of a decades-long homeless person in terms of value placed on things unless they've been there.

Well said.

So happy the bunny made it.

simon_bar_sinister: 4 months is the wrong punishment. A year of inpatient psych with lots of "therapy". And make sure everyone knows about until age 30. You know the drill - local PD, employers, neighbors etc.

This. Being around regular criminals in a regular jail/prison is just going to broaden the young sociopath's horizons. He needs help for his mental illness and a note in his criminal records that show that he could develop into a full-blown sociopath. That way, the local police can keep an eye on him.

What I found most notable about this story:

He is one of approximately 5,000 homeless people in Ireland at the moment


There's only 5000 homeless people in the entire country of Ireland? I'll bet there's more homeless people than that in Las Vegas.

This thread is proof that the ignore deature is one of the best things Fark has going for it. Stop quoting trolls.

Just what I always wanted. My own little bunny rabbit. I will name him George, and I will hug him and pet him and squeeze him and pat him and pet him and rub him and caress him and...

That's a great story, and I'm glad the asshole is going to jail.

But, that homeless dude is a f*cking moron.

I'm in a glass case of emotion!