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Texan Accused in Dog's Duct Tape Death |
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| USA: July 26, 2004 | ||
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DALLAS - A Texas man was charged with animal cruelty in the death of a young dog whose snout was taped shut to prevent it from barking and disturbing his afternoon nap, police said.
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According to police, Richard Swift, 42, is suspected of wrapping duct tape around the muzzle, head and neck of a 1-year-old black Labrador retriever named Bull. The dog, who was outside for several hours in 95-degree (35 Celsius) heat, could not cool down by panting. Richard Swift, 42, of The Colony, near Dallas, was arrested on July 14 and charged with animal cruelty, police said. If convicted, he could face up to two years in jail and a $10,000 fine. Bull was euthanized after suffering from heat stroke, veterinarians who treated the dog said. Swift, the brother of the dog's owner, apparently let Bull out of the house so he could sleep. When the dog started barking to be let back in, Swift taped his mouth shut and left Bull outside in the Texas heat "to teach the dog a lesson," The Colony police report said. Bull's owners were at work at the time. A neighbor discovered Bull and said the dog staggered to her and then collapsed at her feet. "The taping was deliberate," said Anita Kelso Edson, a spokeswoman with the animal rights group SPCA of Texas. "We hope the case is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
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REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
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