LAGGARD ENFORCING OF ANIMAL-CRUELTY LAWS

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 9, 1992                   TAG: 9202100190
SECTION: HORIZON                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
LAGGARD ENFORCING OF ANIMAL-CRUELTY LAWS
YOUR JAN. 18 edition contained a shocking article concerning a Joseph Abbott, charged with cruelty to animals in the death of 27 sheep and with illegal disposal of their remains.
Equally shocking was Botetourt Animal Control officer Gary Johnson's seemingly inept response to the anonymous tip alerting him that there were several dead sheep in the pasture.
Immediate action on his part could have saved the flock from further suffering, starvation and death. Several weeks passed before contact was made, "and afterward," according to the story, "another week elapsed before Abbott began to remove both the sheep carcasses and the living sheep from the pasture."
Could this possibly be efficient enforcement of animal cruelty laws? We think not. TAYLOE and KIM SKELTON FINCASTLE

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB