MOANALUA, Hawaii -- The Moanalua couple who said their dog was stolen, killed and possibly eaten by two golf course employees called on the prosecutor to go after the suspects with a tough new law that makes animal cruelty a felony.
Frank Manuma said his 8-month-old dog named Caddy was stolen and killed by employees at Moanalua Golf Club Sunday.
He and his wife said the two men should be prosecuted under an animal cruelty law that was toughened this year to animal cruelty a class C felony -- punishable by up to five years in prison.
"I think this is something that we have to really focus on and magnify the intensity of this law so that people can be punished for the things that they do to particular animals," Frank Manuma, the dog's owner.
Earlier this year, prosecutors said they unsuccessfully went after Joseph Calarruda for theft, instead of animal cruelty, alleging that he killed a pet pig named Porky in Mililani Mauka.
They said that they went after him on theft charges because animal cruelty had been a misdemeanor, with a maximum sentence of just one year.
Animal rights activists said that this case could be a clincher for the strengthened law.
"I urge the community to come out loud and strong so that the prosecutor's office will hear that this needs to be charged as a felony animal cruelty," said Pamela Burns, of the Hawaiian Humane Society.
Legislaters agreed that the case should qualify for the boosted penalty.
"If it doesn't meet the standard, according to the prosecutor, I'd sure like to know in what way the law needs to be strengthened. Because I don't think there's a clearer-cut case," said Sen. Clayton Hee.
The humane society is offering a $2,500 reward to anyone who can provide information that leads to an arrest and conviction of someone in the case.
The prosecutor's office said it would not comment other than to say that Caddy's case is pending and under investigation.
Frank Manuma said his 8-month-old dog named Caddy was stolen and killed by employees at Moanalua Golf Club Sunday.
He and his wife said the two men should be prosecuted under an animal cruelty law that was toughened this year to animal cruelty a class C felony -- punishable by up to five years in prison.
"I think this is something that we have to really focus on and magnify the intensity of this law so that people can be punished for the things that they do to particular animals," Frank Manuma, the dog's owner.
Earlier this year, prosecutors said they unsuccessfully went after Joseph Calarruda for theft, instead of animal cruelty, alleging that he killed a pet pig named Porky in Mililani Mauka.
They said that they went after him on theft charges because animal cruelty had been a misdemeanor, with a maximum sentence of just one year.
Animal rights activists said that this case could be a clincher for the strengthened law.
"I urge the community to come out loud and strong so that the prosecutor's office will hear that this needs to be charged as a felony animal cruelty," said Pamela Burns, of the Hawaiian Humane Society.
Legislaters agreed that the case should qualify for the boosted penalty.
"If it doesn't meet the standard, according to the prosecutor, I'd sure like to know in what way the law needs to be strengthened. Because I don't think there's a clearer-cut case," said Sen. Clayton Hee.
The humane society is offering a $2,500 reward to anyone who can provide information that leads to an arrest and conviction of someone in the case.
The prosecutor's office said it would not comment other than to say that Caddy's case is pending and under investigation.
