Man Detained For Throwing His Hampsters Off Balcony Into Traffic

[matcom]

<snip>

ROME (Reuters) - A retired Italian man could face up to a year and a half in prison if found guilty of killing his six pet hamsters and one guinea-pig by throwing them off his terrace into passing traffic.

The man, detained by police after the guinea-pig crashed into the windshield of a car, told officials that he had accidentally knocked the animals off his terrace while sweeping, AGI news agency reported on Thursday.

Police in the northern coastal town of Imperia discovered the hamsters' bodies littered across the street after the motorist complained about the broken windshield.

By studying the trajectory of the pets' bodies they were able to identify the man's apartment.

Under a new cruelty to animals law, the man could be sent to jail for between three to 18 months for killing the pets. He will also be held responsible for the damage to the windshield.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=573&e=3&u=/nm/20040812/od_nm/odd_italy_hamsters_dc

[rpannier]

1. He should spend every day of the 18 months in jail...

and they should post his picture in every pet store in Italy to try and keep him from ever owning a pet. Another f**king piece of work. No wonder this world sux.

[demnan]

2. How could someone do that?

Well if he was an American he probably wouldn't vote for Kerry - the Hamster-saver!

[liberalmuse]

3. Creep!

I think they should have stricter laws regarding animal abuse. These are sentient beings, and anyone who's owned an animal knows they can have more of a soul (or whatever it is that animates us) than many human beings. We hear these type of stories all the time. Human beings are despicable more often than not, and sometimes I think what little redeeming value we have is not even worth it.

[rpannier]

4. In addition...

as psychologists have shown most serial killers start with abusing animals.

[Rainbowreflect]

5. My first thought was; Too bad Kerry was not there.

He could save those hamsters!