On February 16, 2011, animal control officer T. Cooper, with the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, was called out to the home of the Tuckers in Clementon, NJ regarding a deceased animal on their property. What he found was so much more.
A Pit Bull by the name of Rocco was indeed deceased – a victim of starvation and neglect, lying dead on the snow-covered ground. His owners, Dawn and Brandon Tucker, did nothing to help Rocco. They simply watched, as day after day, he died a slow, painful death. Rocco was ignored and neglected in his own backyard while the Tuckers housed and supposedly cared for other animals in their home. But Rocco, for unknown reasons, fell victim to animal cruelty and died hungry, alone, in pain and afraid.
A necropsy performed by medical examiner Dr. Heather Lingley discovered Rocco was infested with whipworms and heartworms. Whipworms live in the large intestine, attaching themselves to the intestinal wall and feed on the dog’s blood. Heartworms live in the heart and lungs and cause breathing difficulties. Both types of worms are deadly if left untreated. The worms caused so much destruction in Rocco’s body, his intestines were literally eaten away, resulting in ulcers and erosion of the lining. Painful. His heart was overtaken by worms and had not one ounce of fat surrounding it.
In August 2011, Dawn and Brandon Tucker were charged with one count of animal cruelty each – 2 Disorderly Persons Depriving a Living Creature with Necessary Sustenance and Failing to Provide a Living Creature with Proper Food. They were found guilty.
New Jersey law allows sentencing of jail time when convicted of animal cruelty.
In September 2011, Judge Craig Larsen handed down his sentence to convicted animal abusers Dawn and Brandon Tucker for the “torturous death” of their Pit Bull Rocco. As he doled out his punishment, Judge Larsen declared there was “no excuse” and that Rocco’s demise was “long term” and it “didn’t happen overnight”. The Judge further stated that this was a heinous crime and clearly Rocco never went to the vet.
Despite Judge Craig Larsen expressing disdain over the Tucker’s treatment and care of poor Rocco’s life and death, he threw out one count of animal cruelty and merged Dawn and Brandon’s charges. He then set them free with a combined 24 days of community service and a small fine of $500. For the “torturous death” of a Pit Bull named Rocco.
The NJSPCA requested the other animals in the Tucker’s care be removed and custody awarded to the NJSPCA. Judge Larsen denied the request.
Where is the justice for Rocco? What will happen to the other animals in their care? With just a disgraceful slap on the wrist, what is keeping them from doing it again? What good are the pitiful laws if the court system does not uphold them?
Animal advocates are up in arms regarding the pathetic gesture of the court for such an evil crime. A Facebook page, No Justice for Rocco, has been set up to help strengthen the laws and subsequently the enforcement of such laws. For more information on how you can help get real justice for Rocco (and in turn, thousands of other abused animals), please visit their page.
http://njspca.org/