Power to the people … and an arrest in a very bad case
By Gina Spadafori
January 5, 2008
My power’s back on, hooray. The creek behind my house is out of its banks and creeping up towards the house, not hooray but I’m not worried … yet.
Just so happens that I also work for the local electric utility. A storm like yesterday’s would have had me on the job — I do Web stuff — hustling to to get the word out on when power would be back on. Except, I’ve been sick since New Year’s Eve — nothing lethal, just a crappy, miserable cold — and was home sick and not (thank heavens!) called in to help. They probably don’t want to catch what I have.
Since nobody called to beg me to come in, I threw an extra blanket on the bed, opened the window shade for enough light to read, got a big cuppa tea (thank heavens for a gas range, sorry my dear employer) and settled in for a long day without power. Which it was, but all in all, it wasn’t a bad way to spend some time, once you give up on the idea that you can check your e-mail or watch a guilty pleasure DVD.
Lot of damage left behind in Northern California, my house included. I lost about a quarter of my fencing, part of a big sycamore tree and my patio table, which apparently wasn’t heavy enough to stay on the ground with 60 mph winds. Nothing too bad, when you look at the news pictures of people with trees in their homes and on their cars. And thank heavens I was home when the fences blew down, so the dogs didn’t get out (they have 24/7 access to a small “relief yard,” double fenced within the main back yard on three of four sides, so guess which side blew down?).
Need another good reason to keep current ID tags on your dogs? I sure don’t. There but for the grace of a chest cold go I. We are all here and all safe.
Now, it’s raining like crazy, but the wind has died down. The fencing guys will be here on Wednesday. Until then, leash walks for all!
***
The story of Edna, the dog kidnapped and tortured by hideous thugs who made the owner listen while they tried to extort money has taken a turn, with the arrest of a 15-year-old boy. 15. Philly Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky, who got this story out, has the details:
Philadelphia police have charged a suspect in the horrifying case of Edna, the little brown dog held for ransom in a telephoned extortion attempt last fall.
The accused, a 15-year-old Nicetown boy, was arrested and taken into custody in the early morning of Dec. 30. Because he is a juvenile, his name is being withheld by police.
He faces felony charges of extortion, criminal conspiracy and criminal mischief, in addition to charges of harassment and terroristic threats.
Edna was the “constant companion” of Center City resident Bill Whiting. She disappeared Halloween night from the home of a friend Whiting was visiting in the Italian Market area.
[...]
His wait ended late on Nov. 10, with a phone call at 11:58 p.m. that chilled his blood.
He heard two hard-to-understand voices that sounded male and young. The first said he was 16, his brother was 9 and they had Edna. They demanded $600 to return his dog. … Whiting, who does not drive, agreed to the payment, but not to a midnight meeting. “They said they wanted the money now, and told me they’d kill the dog, repeating, ‘You don’t believe me, Mister – let me hurt it so you can hear.’ “
His heart jumped when he heard a pained yelp over the phone. When he heard the jingling of her tags, Whiting knew they had his beloved little brown dog.
“I couldn’t believe how evil he was,” says Whiting. “He said, ‘You know, Mister, I want to kill your dog.’ “
What are the chances a 15-year-old who can act so cruelly to a dog and a person can be reformed? Not good, I’d say. Hell isn’t hot enough, and God help us all.
(Pictured: Some dogs think there’s nothing wrong with a lot of water. Some of mine are among them, like Air Woody.)
Possibly not good, but every attempt should be made. You know though, that the chances are that the kid is a victim of violence too. Not that that in any way excuses what he is accused of doing. There need to be serious consequences for such a seriously awful act, but that doesn’t exclude having a chance at redemption
Comment by Susan Fox — January 5, 2008 @ 2:34 pm
Kudo’s to the Philly PD for tracking this kid down.
On the other hand, I sincerely doubt he even had the dog. Why would he turn down an easy #500.00. Never the less very cruel to Mr. Whiting, Was his dog microchipped? It is still possible that his friend might be found alive IMO.
Off topic, am very obsessed with the Tatiana story. I know not a pet, can we have a blog on her pretty please.
Comment by Serijna — January 5, 2008 @ 3:25 pm
I’ve been following the story in the San Francisco Chronicle and would second Serijna on that. The keeper who was injured by Tatiana a couple of years ago was a classmate of mine when I was in art school. I really wonder what the hell is going on with the administration at that zoo. There needs to be a grand jury investigation, at the very least.
Comment by Susan Fox — January 5, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
In the comments section of the Salon.com article about this (or more specifically - an article wherein the author questioned whether tigers even belonged in zoos) one poster said the SF Zoo administration has been very resistant to the kinds of “enrichment” programs for the animals in their charge that are pretty much status quo at most progressive zoos these days. Anyone know if that’s an accurate comment? (Not the validity of enrichment - that’s a known. But whether or not it’s true the SF Zoo administration has been resistant to implementing such programs.)
Comment by The OTHER Pat — January 5, 2008 @ 4:09 pm
Thank you for the follow up on Edna. I’m so glad the police took it seriously. At least Edna’s owner will find out if the evil boys actually had Edna.
Comment by kb — January 5, 2008 @ 5:15 pm
Regarding Mr. Whiting and Edna: My understanding is that there was a tremendous outpouring of letters and petitions to the Philadelphia Police Department. Rewards, too. I’m hoping that this public outcry was indeed the push that spurred the PPD to move the investigation to a higher priority level and that letters and comments from the public DO make a difference.
Regarding the 15 year old caught - sure, he and his co-hort should be helped, if only to make the public safer. There’s far too much of this going on and it’s high time the courts got really nasty and put these kids away forever.
Comment by Lynn — January 5, 2008 @ 7:23 pm
I see no mention anywhere in the articles of Edna being found and identified. Are we sure she’s dead? Did the kids dispose of her?
This crime just makes my stomach turn. Cannot wrap my mind around an act like this. This 15-year old is a psychopath. Completely desensitized. Animals now, people later.
Comment by Nadine L. — January 5, 2008 @ 9:22 pm
I too wondered if the dog was ever found. What a terrible story.
Comment by slt — January 7, 2008 @ 10:37 am
Sick, sick, SICK. Believe it or not, I live in a place where this probably would not be a felony. (Stealing a car, however, would, even though Toyotas don’t feel pain.)
If there’s ANY justice, some soc/psych grad student is about to earn her/his PhD with a study of cross-species abuse recidivism. Please, God, let this be the case.
Stay dry and warm, Gina!
Comment by LauraL — January 7, 2008 @ 9:20 pm
VJ:
Sorry for the late response.
Looks like that webpage is now off their website. It showed what was no doubt Stryker in a large bag, being carried by a uniformed officer, with another officer walking along side. I can’t recall what was on the rest of the video, maybe the news reporters giving the story and perhaps photos of Stryker in happier days. So sad.
Comment by Lynn — January 7, 2008 @ 11:00 pm
Whoops - disregard the above message at 11PM. It is in regards to the blog about Stryker. I mis-posted it. It is NOT about Edna. Sorry.
Comment by Lynn — January 7, 2008 @ 11:02 pm