The ASPCA applauds the strong sentences received on February 9 by Joshua and Justin Moulder, who recently pled guilty to torturing and baking a three-month old puppy in a gas oven. They were charged with nine felony counts by the Fulton County Superior Court of Atlanta, GA, and will serve ten years in prison and ten years under strict probation, for a total of 20 years.
The ASPCA?s Dr. Melinda Merck, a forensic veterinarian, and Dr. Randall Lockwood, Senior Vice President for Anti-Cruelty Initiatives and Legislative Services, testified in the sentencing phase of the trial. Dr. Lockwood was instrumental, nine years ago, in passing the law under which the Moulder brothers were sentenced.
?This is a significant moment in the history of animal cruelty prosecution,? says Ed Sayres, ASPCA President & CEO. ?It not only highlights the increasingly important role veterinary forensics and animal welfare experts have come to play in assisting law enforcement with their investigations, but it also shows how strongly the American public feels about the inhumane treatment of animals. As Judge Thelma Wyatt Cummings Moore, who sentenced the brothers said earlier today, how we treat animals reflects on our humanity. We are very proud to have been a part of this landmark case.?
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