A 20-year-old man, Brannon Chandler has been charged with animal cruelty, accused of slashing the throats of six puppies, killing five of them. The puppies belonged to the owners of a home where Chandler is a house guest. The case has been continued to June 21 and we seek that he serve the longest jail term possible, that a permanent stay in a mental institution be considered and that he never be able to have animals in his possession again.

A 20-year-old man, Brannon Chandler has been charged with animal cruelty, accused of slashing the throats of six puppies, killing five of them. The puppies belonged to the owners of a home where Chandler is a house guest.

A Superior Court judge on Monday (May 16, 2005) ruled charges against a
man accused of slitting the throats of six puppies should stand. The
judge also permitted Brannon Chandler to undergo a psychological
evaluation to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.
Chandler faces six counts of cruelty to animals for the grisly slaying
of five puppies that belonged to his roommate at a Skokorat Street
house in Seymour. The sixth puppy recovered.

Taking a stand: Cheryl Conway of Bridgeport was one of about a dozen
people who carried signs on Elizabeth Street next to the Derby Green on
Monday as dog-killing suspect Brannon Chandler appeared in court. A
judge refused to dismiss the charge. Chandler is accused of cutting the
throats of six dogs, five of which died. (Jeff Bustraan) and was later
named Amazing Grace by her veterinarian caregivers.

Under the charge of killing a companion animal, the state must show a
defendant merely engaged in unlawful conduct, Carroll wrote. The
felony, however, requires the state to prove that the defendant acted
with malicious intent, the ruling stated. Carroll went on to argue that
the choice of statute was up to the prosecution's discretion. "There is
no reason for the court to interfere with the state's attorney's
exercise of discretion in this matter," Carroll wrote.


In a separate motion filed Monday, Gable requested that Chandler
undergo psychological testing to determine whether he is competent to
understand the charges against him and assist in his own defense.
Carroll granted the request and continued the case to June 21. Chandler
is currently held in lieu of a $50,000 bond at Garner Correctional
Institution in Newtown, the state's prison for mentally ill inmates.

Active cruelty implies malicious intent, where a person has
deliberately and intentionally caused harm to an animal. Acts of active
cruelty are often some of the most disturbing and should be considered
signs of serious psychological problems. This type of behavior is often
associated with sociopathic behavior and should be taken very seriously.

Animal abuse in violent homes can take many forms and can occur for
many reasons. Many times a parent or domestic partner who is abusive
may kill, or threaten to kill, the household pets to intimidate family
members into sexual abuse, to remain silent about previous or current
abuse, or simply to psychologically torture them, flexing their
“power”.

The case has been continued to June 21 and we seek that he serve the longest jail term possible, that a permanent stay in a mental institution be considered and that he never be able to have animals in his possession again.