PETITION CLOSED
PETITION TARGET: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
UPDATE: On February 6, 2020, Oscar Lee Thompson III was found guilty of one count of aggravated animal cruelty. On March 2, despite the State Attorney’s Office recommendation of a jail sentence followed by probation, the judge instead sentenced him to 5 years of probation, but no jail time. Thompson’s sentence also includes a ban on living in a home with or possessing any animals. He must also undergo a mental health evaluation and follow through on any recommended treatment, and enroll in anger management counseling. Thompson was also sentenced to pay restitution and ordered to pay court costs and the cost of prosecution. Though we are very disappointed that the sentence does not fit the crime, we are glad that Mr. Thompson cannot possess or live with animals. Thank you to everyone who signed this petition.
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Someone in LeHigh Acres, Florida cruelly wrapped an innocent dog’s mouth tightly shut with duct tape, slowly suffocating the helpless animal nearly to death. The dog, a Florida cur, was found wandering through people’s backyards, panting, drooling and bleeding from the legs and chest.
A concerned resident contacted police, and Lee County Domestic Animal Services rushed to give the dog veterinary attention. They discovered he was dehydrated and malnourished, in addition to his painful wounds.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno — a self-professed animal lover — stated the county has zero tolerance for any form of animal abuse, and that he is determined to find and prosecute the person responsible. It is imperative that he now follow through with that promise.
Anyone capable of inflicting this kind of torment on an animal needs to be put behind bars and banned from being around animals for the rest of their lives, before they harm anyone else.
We thank Sheriff Marceno for his quick and heartfelt response to this heartbreaking case, and urge him and his team to use all available resources to find the perpetrator.
You can contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at (239) 477-1000 or submit information anonymously to Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-(800) 780-TIPS.
