ALERT: Squirrel Hanging in East Toledo

For the record, I am against the squirrel death penalty.

How cruel. I'm not against people hunting for food. Heck my own dad eats Squirrels.

But killing just to kill like that? Kinda sick.

That is :( effed up!

Horrible, just horrible and the sure sign of a sick person.

That's just "nuts"...it very well could have been suicide

Cue 'those eastsiders" comments.

Terrific. One more sicko out there. Studies have shown that a person who abuses and tortures animals is more likely to commit violent crimes against people.

Did you call the police? Not that Toledo's finest could do much, but it should be on record somewhere.

Maybe squirrels were stealing bird seed, and this one was left as a warning to others!

I didn't expect the police to do anything, so I filed a poaching violation at the Division of Wildlife. They came out to see the rope that still hangs from the tree and basically just said to keep an eye out and contact them if anything more happens. Apparently this is the first he had heard of a wild animal being hanged, it's a very sick and disturbing crime.

And to those of you making jokes at this squirrels expense, show a little respect.

Respect for a squirrel.....not. However, people who torture animals or kill for no apparent but sadistic reasons are typically those who's behavior escalates. Animal killings are nothing more than training to them.

"... people who torture animals or kill for no apparent but sadistic reasons are typically those who's behavior escalates. Animal killings are nothing more than training to them."

Sounds like a Criminal Minds episode. I too wonder how the person or the people managed to catch the squirrel. Live trap, poison, or maybe the squirrel accidentally got ran over without being killed. Or maybe the psycho got friendly with the squirrel and then for some reason, he whacked it.

Back in the eastern Ohio hills, I used to hunt squirrels, and now they got me hand-feeding them in our backyard. So it's possible to get close to a squirrel, but it takes time.

From dralionagogo: And to those of you making jokes at this squirrels expense, show a little respect.

This is fantasy, and I'm not buying any. There is no hanging squirrel, no noose and no Division of Wildlife agent came out to investigate.

It is fairly easy to catch a squirrel. A primitive box, stick, and rope set-up, food and some time. catch a squirrel.

It was probably kids, it's possible that the squirrel sustained injuries from an automobile, with no external injuries and the kids finished the job.

And this does sound so ridiculous that I do put some stock in MadJack's speculations.

From dralionagogo: And to those of you making jokes at this squirrels expense, show a little respect.

From madjack: This is fantasy

what? sarcasm sniffer broken? I'm an Eastsider for almost 40 yrs, but being Eastside has nothing to do with it, altho I don't put it past people who live down at that end of the road. This shit happens everywhere.

I know this guy who's girlfriend's cousin's brother used to know a guy who knew this squirrel. Let's just say that he was involved in some pretty bad shit. He had it coming.

Childish remarks to a serious concern only show your ignorance.

The only reason I posted this was to inform those in the area - in the event it happens again or that they've heard something.

Personally, I believe it was a one time prank done by some reckless and troubled youths. But I can't say I won't be more alert, not with all the stray cats I care for.

I think it's vile to poke fun at the squirrel who lost their life to a sadistic prank, and I question the character of anyone so lacking in empathy that they'd find humor in it instead of sympathy. But I can't force you to grow up or have a heart.

Nana is right, this shit does happen everywhere. If you choose to believe this is fantasy, I'm not offended. Blind eyes help no one, so this thread was not directed at you anyway.

There are bigger and more pressing issues than a hung squirrel to get your panties in a wad over.

However, this is certainly something i am going to share with friends this weekend.

By calling these youths troubled - because they hung a dead squirrel?? lol.

You don't know how the suqirrel died - that is fact.

My dad was the youngest of 14 - 10 boys and 4 girls. I would love to share with you their stories about cat torturing. All 14 have rock solid families and are great people.

The assumption that serial killers torture animals in their youth might be semi-plausible, but not really. The assumption that every youth that tortures dead animals bodies are "troubled" is just far fetched and silly.

I do love animals, but I have priorities. In life, animals aren't the most important.

As you stereotype animal torturers as reckless, sadistic, and troubled, I won't venture out to stereotype a person who's life is altered by a hung squirrel.

I don't find humor in a hanging squirrel, I find humor that this is even a thread. I find humor in people from other cities who may venture on here and think that this is news in Toledo, OH. I find humor in the fact you think I'm childish, ignorant, and lack heart because I don't care about this dead squirrel. I happen to have more pressing issues to worry about. Now, who should I send the flowers to?

Please, spare me the "bigger and more pressing issues" lecture. Certainly not when one of you is posting about chocolate dipped strawberries and the other about eating out for Thanksgiving. Just a hunch, but I'll bet neither of those are considered news-worthy to people from other cities.

Torturing animals isn't exactly a "fun for the whole family" activity, nor is it something I'd consider normal child behavior. That isn't how my siblings and I played, and it isn't how any of my friends played either. Nor my parents, or cousins, or anyone i even know really. But you keep those stories and you cherish them.

I never speculated this being the prelude of a serial killer. Possibly because that's more in tune with my definition of far fetched than considering a kid troubled for their complete dis-concern over another living creature. However, it is a common trend among serial killers to torture animals, a factual trend even. But no, I don't think the next Ted Bundy is prowling around the east side.

And lastly, because I really can't see my interest in this thread spanning much farther, life goes on. Even for me and my love of animals, this hasn't been a life-altering event. Possibly more than chocolate dipped strawberries, but who's to say really. We post 'em as we see 'em, but don't dare take that into consideration now.

There are more pressing issues, like the new Mexican restaurant!

FWIW dralionagogo, I'm with you.

No, squirrel welfare isn't among my top concerns. I'm not an especially big fan of squirrels. Whatever. They're not even something I really think about much, except when I see one digging around in my flower bed.

But animal torture isn't funny, fun or even remotely OK. Neither is handling a dead squirrel's corpse, really, if that's what happened. Who knows what kind of diseases or germs is on a dead animal's carcass.

And there are a handful of decent reasons to post this thread at Toledo Talk, not the least of which is that many Toledo Talkers in the past have indicated themselves to be animal-friendly sorts.

Personally, I'd like to know if this happened in my neighborhood, though in this case it did not.

If they caught the person who did this they should cut his throat and hang him from that tree!

The point that is being lost on some is that whether the animal was dead before or after the hanging does not matter. Anybody that would take the time out o ftheir day to do something like that is not right, period.

Thomas, McDonald's triad seems to be a better predictor of sociopathology than just killing animals.

McDonald's triad

I haven't posted here in quite a while, but felt I had to speak up on dralionlogo's thread about the squirrel that was hung by a noose. She is my daughter & she does a lot in the way of animal rescue - mainly cats & dogs. She loves all animals - but her post was not intended to make it sound like she's got a love affair about squirrels in general. She took the time to post that on this board, because I'd told her in the past that THIS board usually had posters with sense & decency. She took the time to post this incident because she has a real concern that if somebody could do this to a squirrel for fun, then they may also get their kicks out of doing this (or worse) to somebody's dog or cat (or child). There are plenty of studies that show that most killers or abusers, often would tortured animals when they were kids. I honestly don't think it'd be too much of a stretch in the minds of bored, disturbed kids to kick it up a notch & grab your cat or small dog. That was one of her main concerns - she posted here so you'd be warned that IF you live in her area, to keep an eye on your pets & any odd after dark behavior of kids. I will simply end this here by saying how disappointed at how low this board has sunk to - to belittle a poster who was only trying to prevent a future tragedy that could be YOUR cat or dog hung byb a noose.

Thanks for the posting, starling02.

"She loves all animals ..."

And people would have realized that if they had taken 10 seconds to click dralionagogo's username to view her profile page and then clicked on the articles or threads that she has started.

Titles of dralionagogo's other threads:

• At Home Euthanasia? Help? - [about her dog]
• Signatures Needed to End Factory Farm Bill in Toledo
• Deer Cull in Toledo
• Help Rescue Cats
• Finding Homes For Cats
• Finding praying mantis for garden?

I see a trend. That's why this thread seemed legit to me and a valid neighborhood concern. Caring or even over-caring for animals can be debated sensibly. Even if we disagreed on the issue of hunting, I'll take dralionagogo's concern for animals over the wacko(s) hanging a squirrel.

October 2007 - Toledo Talk thread - East Toledo teens randomly beat up 63-year-old man in a game of 'Round Up'

With that kind of soulless behavior lurking, it doesn't seem like much of a stretch to think that an animal could get mauled too.

dralionagogo, that indeed is disturbing. Nothing funny about that.

Last year, the girl who opens up our office very early in the morning found that someone had hung a possum from a rope on our office door. I didn't see it, but it really shook up our receptionist, understandably. The person(s) who did that was not right in the head. I'm sure that's not the only trouble they are causing.

Lately, there has been a lot of cruelty against animals, particularly in Ohio, for some reason. http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/crime/owner-of-beaten-killed-baby-alpaca-who-would-do-something-like-this-571730.html

http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/Police-Man-stabs-Golden-Retriever-to-death-for/Klw8apey0E6RRLXGoj3P3Q.cspx

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/05/27/dairy-farm-worker-fired-arrested-over-video.html?sid=101

Thanks again for warning us.

This is a good read, from the NY Times this week:

The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome

"The link between animal abuse and interpersonal violence is becoming so well established that many U.S. communities now cross-train social-service and animal-control agencies in how to recognize signs of animal abuse as possible indicators of other abusive behaviors. In Illinois and several other states, new laws mandate that veterinarians notify the police if their suspicions are aroused by the condition of the animals they treat. The state of California recently added Humane Society and animal-control officers to the list of professionals bound by law to report suspected child abuse and is now considering a bill in the State Legislature that would list animal abusers on the same type of online registry as sex offenders and arsonists."