A Chicago Police horse named J.R. is seen in a stable used by the Chicago Police Mounted Unit on the South Side of Chicago on Monday, September 17, 2012. Most of the horses were let loose from their stalls during a break-in and J.R. was sprayed with a fire extinguisher causing swelling to his eyes. A second horse named Schott that was beaten in the leg, apparently with the same extinguisher.
The Chicago Tribune reports:
Two boys, 14 and 16, were charged with injuring police animals and burglarizing the Chicago Police Department’s Mounted Unit, according to the Chicago Police Department.
The Chicago Police Department won’t name the two or provide additional information about them because they’re juveniles, according to a statement released by police. Each faces five counts of injuring police animals, a felony, and a felony burglary charge, police said. Continue reading >>
Tuesday's Horse 
The boys would benefit by doing community service of mucking stalls. We have high school kids doing exactly that on Wednesday mornings. They do help with chores, and some liked the horses so much they wanted to come back in the summer. One boy actually did.
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I am always left pondering, what would make a child hurt a helpless animal? It is because they are hurting. To stop abuse, one must go to the root, and it is always from the environment that they are in. I am saddened for the hurt these two young men caused, but I am saddened even more deeply over the fact that these children need to receive counseling and intervention. Unfortunately, they may not get it.
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I feel that there names should be right out in front of that article. So what if they are minors, they broke the law and injured innocent animals for no other reason than ‘fun’. How were these kids raised? Did someone cut out their heart? Cruel, cruel humans are getting younger and younger. It is nauseating.
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It is a good idea. My insanity is made sane when I’m around my horses. It is a form of meditation for me and certainly a life safer. Programs such as the prison rehabilitation is great and these kids should be made to work around horses as part of their punishment. Make sure you assign the dirtiest stall to them – the one full of the most manure. That would be a start.
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I wonder if part of the ‘punishment’ were to work at a horse rescue or shelter and muck out stalls etc., and learn about the wonder of horses, it would help these boys. Horses are so healing, and have turned so many people around in the least expected circumstances. If it works in prison rehabilitation programs, why not for these teens. What has started out as such a negative point in their lives could turn out to be very positive indeed if handled properly.
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Great idea Virginia. Will that actually do anything that positive? I hope so.
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If these kids are commiting such atrocities at this age I can only imagine what they will do when they get older. Out of all the positive things they could be doing they chose to commit these abhorrent acts. They need to be punished as much as possible.
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WHY do they have to hurt the HELPLESS? How does that make them feel good? WHAT COWARDS!!!!
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What thugs they need to prosicute these punks to the fullest extent by law and then hold the parents responsible for the punks actions…Proven fact when you abuse animals more than likely you abuse humans…how can anyone be so miserable in there life that they have to hurt helplsess animals that are in a stable and not bothering a soul….Also, these animals help keep the streets safe…What Punk type Thugs lock them up and throw away the key!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-(
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