Dog belonging to Exec officer from SPCA and critic of M.Vick dies in car

[sawzalot]

I copied this from another site thought it was worth the read.


Published: August 26, 2009

A dog belonging to Robin Starr, chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA, died last week after being left alone for about four hours in her car.

This morning, Starr and her husband, Ed, cried while recounting the story of what happened last Wednesday morning in an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch at the SPCA's offices.

Ed Starr said that last Wednesday, as his wife prepared for work, he put the couple's 16-year-old dog into her Volvo station wagon. She often took the dog -- a deaf and blind mutt named Louie -- to work with her, according to the couple. He was her favorite dog, she said.

Robin Starr arrived at work about 8 a.m. without realizing that the dog was in the car, they said. Ed Starr said he forgot to tell her Louie was in her car.

"I just forgot . . . and didn’t think about it until I got this frantic phone call from Robin. I knew immediately what I had done," he said today.

About noon, Robin Starr went to her car to go get lunch, and that's when she noticed Louie in the car. She took the dog inside to the SPCA clinic, then to an emergency veterinary clinic in Carytown. The dog died about midnight of kidney failure, the Starrs said.

“At 16, he just laid down where you put him and didn’t make a peep,” she said. “He never made a peep in the car; he’d just lay there in the back.”

According to the National Weather Service, last Wednesday's temperature in Richmond was 79 degrees at 8 a.m. and had reached 91 by noon.

Tamsen Kingry, the SPCA's chief operating officer, said this morning that "the SPCA board of directors does not waiver in its support" of Robin Starr. She has been CEO of the Richmond SPCA since 1997. Starr said she does not plan to resign.

Robin Starr has been an outspoken critic of Michael Vick and his role in a Virginia dog fighting operation, and of several local residents who were charged with animal neglect that led to animal deaths.

For more on this story, see tomorrow's Richmond Times-Dispatch.

-- Jeremy Slayton

 

[Adam]

That's heartbreaking. Any story like that is to me. Such a needless death, and one that likely involved suffering. Dog, human, any living creature - it saddens me when any being goes through that.

 

[sawzalot]

Yes it really bothers Me , Adam it is total lack of awareness and is unacceptable and I feel as though she needs to be punished, not because of the whole M V thing she just has to answer for this horrible mistake.

 

[Adam]

If anyone is to be held responsible, I believe that it is the husband. If she truly didn't know that the pooch was in the car, then she isn't to be blamed, IMO. It sounds like she did everything that she could after she found him.

 

[tattoo_Dan]

Yes it really bothers Me , Adam it is total lack of awareness and is unacceptable and I feel as though she needs to be punished, not because of the whole M V thing she just has to answer for this horrible mistake.

I agree with you !

this story made me really mad ! she should at least lose her job, AND be punished in court !

 

[tattoo_Dan]

If anyone is to be held responsible, I believe that it is the husband. If she truly didn't know that the pooch was in the car, then she isn't to be blamed, IMO. It sounds like she did everything that she could after she found him.

how could a person NOT realize a dog is in the car ?

that's scary in itself ,was she too busy texting?


"She often took the dog to work with her."

I'm sorry but there is no excuse for these types of things IMO !

if it was a human,this story would be different ,unfortunately.


that also makes me mad,the animal abuse laws need to be changed and made more severe .

 

[Martiad3]

I'm sorry, but did anyone actually read the article? She didn't know the dog was in the car, because her husband put it there without telling her. It was blind, deaf, old, and didn't make a sound the entire time. Yet most of you think she should lose her job and be punished by the court? I don't see how this is anything but a terrible accident, and that lady has no fault on her shoulders.

Also, the article says that Mrs Starr has been an outspoken critic, not an advocate of Michael Vick.

As for animal abuse laws, I think they're pretty severe when compared to what some people get for murdering a human. Michael Vick spent over a year in prison, and had a 23 month sentence. Donte Stallworth gets 30 days for DUI manslaughter. Yes, Vick's actions were terrible, but were they really 12 times as bad as killing someone while drunk behind the wheel of a car?

 

[lsiberian]

I'm sorry, but did anyone actually read the article? She didn't know the dog was in the car, because her husband put it there without telling her. It was blind, deaf, old, and didn't make a sound the entire time. Yet most of you think she should lose her job and be punished by the court? I don't see how this is anything but a terrible accident, and that lady has no fault on her shoulders.

Also, the article says that Mrs Starr has been an outspoken critic, not an advocate of Michael Vick.

As for animal abuse laws, I think they're pretty severe when compared to what some people get for murdering a human. Michael Vick spent over a year in prison, and had a 23 month sentence. Donte Stallworth gets 30 days for DUI manslaughter. Yes, Vick's actions were terrible, but were they really 12 times as bad as killing someone while drunk behind the wheel of a car?

I'm pretty sure what Vick did was far worse than what Stallworth did.

Plus you might want to do some more research on the Stallworth case.

 

[sawzalot]

I'm sorry, but did anyone actually read the article? She didn't know the dog was in the car, because her husband put it there without telling her. It was blind, deaf, old, and didn't make a sound the entire time. Yet most of you think she should lose her job and be punished by the court? I don't see how this is anything but a terrible accident, and that lady has no fault on her shoulders.

Also, the article says that Mrs Starr has been an outspoken critic, not an advocate of Michael Vick.

As for animal abuse laws, I think they're pretty severe when compared to what some people get for murdering a human. Michael Vick spent over a year in prison, and had a 23 month sentence. Donte Stallworth gets 30 days for DUI manslaughter. Yes, Vick's actions were terrible, but were they really 12 times as bad as killing someone while drunk behind the wheel of a car?

So basically you are saying that if tragic events are the actions of nothing more than terrible accidents then no one should be punished, wow what a perfect world we live in ," Hey I'm sorry but it was just an accident " I had no intent whatsoever.If she didn't know the dog was in her car then her husband obviously committed an act of cruelty to animals, right? This animal was old and sick so let's see the best thing we can do is take this dog to work with us so that the animal will be more comfortable. I know if and when I am ever to be any of the following, deaf, blind and old I sure hope my son skips the ride to work for me I think I'll just chill at home in lets say familiar surroundings.I only use the previous analogy because everyone seems to want to put human's and animals on the same equal plane.
It is apparent that you did not read the article pertaining to all the facts involved with the Stallworth "accident" yes that horrible "accident" your words,look it up and read it maybe you will see it in a different light.

 

[lsiberian]

So basically you are saying that if tragic events are the actions of nothing more than terrible accidents then no one should be punished, wow what a perfect world we live in ," Hey I'm sorry but it was just an accident " I had no intent whatsoever.If she didn't know the dog was in her car then her husband obviously committed an act of cruelty to animals, right? This animal was old and sick so let's see the best thing we can do is take this dog to work with us so that the animal will be more comfortable. I know if and when I am ever to be any of the following, deaf, blind and old I sure hope my son skips the ride to work for me I think I'll just chill at home in lets say familiar surroundings.I only use the previous analogy because everyone seems to want to put human's and animals on the same equal plane.
It is apparent that you did not read the article pertaining to all the facts involved with the Stallworth "accident" yes that horrible "accident" your words,look it up and read it maybe you will see it in a different light.

We have a legal system for a reason and despite what everyone says it really does work well.

 

[sawzalot]

I'm pretty sure what Vick did was far worse than what Stallworth did.

Plus you might want to do some more research on the Stallworth case.

I agree with both statements,In Vick's case he deserved the punishment and it is a never ending punishment as he will be involved with the betterment and education for proper treatment of animals ,namely dogs for many years to come.Vick's actions were much more severe than Stallworth's as in he lived this lifestyle for approx. 8-9 years,maybe more.Always pre-meditated actions.
Stallworth incident was an accident drunk or sober expert accident investigators say it was an un-avoidable accident.

 

[Nemo128]

Stallworth incident was an accident drunk or sober expert accident investigators say it was an un-avoidable accident.

Really? Doing 50 in a 40 is unavoidable? Having a BAC of 0.12 wouldn't make someone wake up later than intented? Possibly drive faster than they would have sober? Perhaps have vision a lil worse than someone sober? Did he run any reds before the accident? Possibly blow a stop sign? Maybe had a lil trouble pulling out of the driveway/garage/parking space?

Accident investigators can say whatever they want, fact is they're only considering the few moments leading up to the accident, not the precluding circumstances. Unavoidable... pfft. For the record, I think he got punished plenty and he made a civil settlement with the family for their loss. My beef is with the "unavoidable" BS.

Back to topic. Charge the husband with criminally negligent homicide. Fire the wife. Sue Volvo. Some of you guys are so amusing...

BTW, advocate isn't the same thing as critic. Topic is pretty misleading.

 

[sawzalot]

Really? Doing 50 in a 40 is unavoidable? Having a BAC of 0.12 wouldn't make someone wake up later than intented? Possibly drive faster than they would have sober? Perhaps have vision a lil worse than someone sober? Did he run any reds before the accident? Possibly blow a stop sign? Maybe had a lil trouble pulling out of the driveway/garage/parking space?

Accident investigators can say whatever they want, fact is they're only considering the few moments leading up to the accident, not the precluding circumstances. Unavoidable... pfft. For the record, I think he got punished plenty and he made a civil settlement with the family for their loss. My beef is with the "unavoidable" BS.

Back to topic. Charge the husband with criminally negligent homicide. Fire the wife. Sue Volvo. Some of you guys are so amusing...

BTW, advocate isn't the same thing as critic. Topic is pretty misleading.

Your questions directed towards me about Stallworth are very misleading as I am not voicing my opinion I am simply stating the findings of the courts that charged Stallworth with his DUI, I never said that I agreed with his punishment, however misleading the title is I only re-posted the story exactly the way I found it on the internet,as for the horrible accident , no matter what the pooch is dead and someone will shoulder the blame.How can it be pushed aside just because it was an accident, that was surely avoidable.One more thing I never said she should lose her job , however maybe she can join M. Vick on his crusade to make people more aware of ethical treatment of animals as her punishment.Hey, what if the dipstick husband put their young child and or grand kid in the back seat and forgot to tell her, what if ??

 

[CraigV]

Throw him & Vick in a pit together in a fight to the death


…of course the winner will get a lucrative NFL contract

 

[Patrukas777]

We have a legal system for a reason and despite what everyone says it really does work well.

Actually, our legal system is a joke. This is coming from someone who works in the legal system.....A COMPLETE JOKE!!!

 

[tattoo_Dan]

I'm sorry, but did anyone actually read the article? She didn't know the dog was in the car, because her husband put it there without telling her. It was blind, deaf, old, and didn't make a sound the entire time. Yet most of you think she should lose her job and be punished by the court? I don't see how this is anything but a terrible accident, and that lady has no fault on her shoulders.

would you say the same if it been a sleeping child that did'nt make a sound that the father put in the car and the mom did'nt know he did ? (lets say he assumed she would drop off the kid at daycare)

??????


I can't imagine at least I can speak for myself,that I am aware enough of my surroundings especially when I get in my car that I would know if a dog was in there. but that's just me.


and yes,I read the article.

 

[lsiberian]

Actually, our legal system is a joke. This is coming from someone who works in the legal system.....A COMPLETE JOKE!!!

LOL compared to the rest of the world it's actually pretty good. But Americans generally are negative folks on things so I"m not surprised to hear that.

 

[Audioholics]

if it was a human, this story would be different, unfortunately.

Unfortunately? Yes, it's true... there is a big difference between people and animals. I'm hoping that you didn't mean that the way it sounded...

 

[tattoo_Dan]

Unfortunately? Yes, it's true... there is a big difference between people and animals. I'm hoping that you didn't mean that the way it sounded...

"Unfortunately" meant that it should be the same as if it had been a human IMO


what I meant was that people are saying oh well,it's just a horrible accident and no charges or other repercussions should follow,
if it had been a human,well she would be considered a horrible terrible mother and the police would investigate to see what crime was committed.

and I don't feel as you do about this,I treat animal care and rights as I do humans. IMO this is just as bad as a human being left in the car to suffer a long and agonizing death as this dog did.there is NO excuse for it IMO


it SHOULD be treated the same as if it had been a human IMO


but then you and I feeling different about life is what makes the world go around,and if we disagree then that's ok