Will Maricopa County Attorney Andrew P Thomas prosecute these Scottsdale bureaucrats with felony charges of cruelty to animals? I kind of doubt it. First they are fellow government bureaucrats. Second I doubt they had any real intent to cause pain to the ducks that died. I suspect it was just a stupid mistake on their part. But thats my point I suspect the felony animal cruelty laws will be selectively enforced. If they were shaking down Michael Jackson in Arizona instead of California and this happened on Michael Jackson Never Never Land Ranch I suspect County Attorney Andrew P Thomas would charge Michael Jackson with felony charge of animal cruelty just to give him a hard time. While I dont think Andrew Thomas would ever consider shaking down his fellow bureaucrats with felony animal cruelty. Original Article Young waterfowl cant climb lakes new wall By John Leptich, Tribune June 21, 2005 Chaparral Lake has become a killing pond for ducklings and goslings that can no longer reach an island that was supposed to protect them. Fourteen of 15 baby ducks and geese born in the last month drowned because they couldnt climb a retaining wall built around the island during recent renovations at the lake, said Lenny Beard, an activist who helps take care of lake wildlife. "I watched one gosling die because he couldnt get back to his mother on the island," said Beard, who walks his dogs daily in the park. "He was frantically swimming back and forth but couldnt make it." The lake and some of the surrounding park area at Hayden and Chaparral roads in Scottsdale has been closed since November for a $850,000 restoration project to plug leaks caused by shoreline erosion. Beard said there are more nests on the island and he worries more young waterfowl will go into the water and meet the same fate. Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross, who said she learned of the situation Monday, said her staff is doing all it can to expedite a solution. "They are going to take care of this right away," Manross said. "Thats what we have to do. To protect these animals is what we have the island for in the first place." Rose Williams, Scottsdales parks and grounds manager, said the city worked closely with the Arizona Game and Fish Department on renovation design. "Were looking into the possibility of trying to get (waterfowl) better access onto the island," Williams said. "Eric Swanson of Game and Fish said it was designed appropriately. Were not ignoring it. Patience is a virtue." But Beard said he is losing patience because he had previously let city workers know about the bird deaths, but nothing was done. Another problem with the renovation is that if the lake is filled completely, it overflows on the south end, he said. Doug Nohren, senior recreation coordinator of Chaparral Park, referred questions about the overflow to Bill Peifer, a city project manager, who could not be reached. During the renovation, the 32-year-old artificial lake was partially drained and cement was poured around the edges and the island. Clay and fabric liners were installed to stop the leaking. Williams said a solution to the birds problem is being sought. "We have some different ideas," she said. "Maybe well use rocks, plankings for a ramp or something else. Were looking into it." On Saturday, Beard and Ahwatukee Foothills residents Paul Halesworth and Terry Stevens of East Valley Wildlife took matters into their own hands. They borrowed an inflatable boat, took some wood, bricks and rocks and threw the materials over a portable fence built in November. Halesworth scaled the fence and navigated to the island where he constructed a temporary 2-by-1-foot ramp so younger fowl can return from the water. "When theyre young and unfeathered, they will drown," Halesworth said. "This happens all too frequently. Ive done things like this before." Beard hasnt. "We stood there wondering when the police were going to come and get us for trespassing," Beard said. "It took 45 minutes for Paul to build something that can at least help some of these babies live." Beard, who belongs to a local group called Webfoot Rescue of Scottsdale, said he tries to put out food weekly for the birds. "But that doesnt help all of them, especially the babies, unless they can get to and from the water safely," he said." Contact John Leptich by email, or phone 480) 970-2333 http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0620phx-taskforce.html County focuses on animal abuse Task force to aid police, prosecutors Linda Helser The Arizona Republic Jun. 20, 2005 12:00 AM It's a case of simple math. If you bring together more enlightened prosecutors and police through a newly formed animal cruelty task force, then you can put away more abusers of innocent creatures. That's the intent of the new Law Enforcement for Animal Protection task force established last month by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. County Attorney Andrew Thomas sees mistreatment of animals as the first step toward more violent crimes, and he wants to monitor and prosecute such cases to keep abusers off the streets. "When I worked as a prosecutor in our juvenile division, I got to see the pattern of delinquents who commit this crime often go on to commit violent crimes against humans," he said. So when members of the Arizona Humane Society asked him to champion and enhance a task force that the Humane Society had launched a year ago, Thomas agreed. Advocates want improved communications between police departments and prosecutors, and they want to have law enforcement and justice-system personnel trained in how to better handle cruelty cases. Twenty-six people have volunteered to take part, representing police, prosecutors, animal-control and shelter personnel from cities including Phoenix, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale, Peoria and Surprise. "Our first meeting is June 27, and one of the first things I want to do is to establish one special hot line number, like a graffiti hot line, for the public to report animal abuse," said Jana Sorensen, 50, task force chairwoman and an 18-year prosecutor in the County Attorney's Office. Second on her agenda will be the creation of a comprehensive Web site, listing animal-abuse cases being handled by the County Attorney's Office, updates of cases and other information the public may find useful. Duane Adams, 42, task force vice chairman and a 23-year employee of the Arizona Humane Society, is hopeful the group will address strengthening, fine tuning, clarifying and unifying abuse laws. Before 1999, animal abuse was a misdemeanor. Since, it may be considered a Class 6 felony, punishable by up to two years in prison and $150,000 in fines. "I'm looking to add some teeth to the laws and thereby help everybody," Adams said. For instance, grounds for seizing a neglected or abused animal from an owner differ among law enforcement municipalities throughout the county. "We need to get organized and set state guidelines for that," he said. But the biggest objectives of the task force will be to make certain law enforcement officers understand the law when it comes to animal abuse. "If we can educate police officers and communicate with them and let them know what investigation we need them to do to help us make our case, then we'll have a better chance of securing a conviction," said Tony Church, 28, a prosecutor with the County Attorney's Office. Examples might include photographs of the abused animal and taped interviews from witnesses and abusers. Church, who will serve as the task force liaison among the County Attorney's Office, law enforcement and private agencies, already has earned a reputation as a passionate prosecutor when it comes to animal-abuse cases. He routinely volunteers to take cases. An admitted animal-lover with two formerly abused dogs of his own and eight cats rescued from the streets, Church has tallied 10 convictions of animal abuse since he prosecuted his first such case in November 2003. Another 19 unresolved cases are on his caseload. "Already I've noticed a significant increase," he said. "I was doing one or two a month before, and now there's at least one a week and some weeks two." Stephanie Nichols-Young, 48, a Phoenix attorney in private practice, bets Church had better brace himself for even more if the task force accomplishes its mission. "I suspect animal abuse has always been going on, but so many cases have just slipped through the cracks," she said. "If people don't know who to call to report it, if police don't investigate it properly, if a prosecutor doesn't get it, if a judge doesn't sentence appropriately, then at any point all the way along the line they can fall through the cracks."