Scott, I think it depends on the human. To make a blanket statement that all human life is "far" more valuable than canine, I think is unfair. This is not a case of a drowning dog and a drowning toddler and you can only save one; which do you pick? This is a case of a totally premeditated, senseless act of murder, not a case of choosing between an innocent canine and an innocent human.

You don't let your dogs outside? This didn't happen b/c of negligence; these @$$holes came after the dog, on purpose.

I probably would've shot them, personally...and you all would've seen me on the evening news. I hope you would start a petition for leniency, like we all did w/that Congo dog. I promise I wouldn't do it again, LOL.

Seriously though, I really don't think I could be "responsible" in that situation. I would be livid and vengeful.

A dog with a thousands of dollars of training invested is no more or no less valuable than any other dog who is loved. I have both, and I love and protect them exactly the same, although one would cost thousands to "replace" and one wouldn't. As if you can ever replace a dog! There is no real way to place a value on any living being, except maybe by the good they bring to others. How much good do these guys bring to ANYONE?

I bet they don't get nearly what they deserve.

 Quote: Jenni Williams

There is no real way to place a value on any living being, except maybe by the good they bring to others. How much good do these guys bring to ANYONE?

Damn straight. That right there wins best post of the year.

 Quote: Jenni Williams

I bet they don't get nearly what they deserve.

Not unless they let Marcus Lutrell take all of these guys to the middle of the desert. They live together, work together, laugh and cry together. They become family.
Then one night, Marcus will kill all but one of them. Torture the survivor.

Give the survivor a dog, and wait until the survivor decides the dog is the only thing on the face of the planet that he can truly trust, truly care about, feel safe with...

Kill the dog while the survivor watches.


THEN they'll have gotten what they deserve.

Watching/reading this makes me sick to my stomach. He is a far better person than me because if I was in his position there would be a few less punks in the world. My dogs are my children and their lives are just as important to me as human life. As far as him letting his dog run free, he lives on a ranch! Since when do owners have to follow their dogs everywhere to ensure their safety? The dog was on his property minding its own business. It breaks my heart that this sweet dog went up to greet these people and they killed her. I cant believe that the two guys in the back are not being charged. They knew what the others were doing (especially since they killed other dogs) and they could have spoken up against this and called the cops. Also, two years is the max they are going to get??? They should get LIFE, they killed a member of this mans family. I have a feeling that after their sentence life isnt going to be all that grand since the whole nation knows about this now.

 Quote: Alyssa Myracle

Not unless they let Marcus Lutrell take all of these guys to the middle of the desert. They live together, work together, laugh and cry together. They become family.
Then one night, Marcus will kill all but one of them. Torture the survivor.

Give the survivor a dog, and wait until the survivor decides the dog is the only thing on the face of the planet that he can truly trust, truly care about, feel safe with...

Kill the dog while the survivor watches.


THEN they'll have gotten what they deserve.

Agreed, wholeheartedly. I can't imagine the pain he feels. I would have shot them all without a second thought.

Honestly, what kind of people get off by simply killing dogs? The kind that shouldn't be allowed to walk the streets like a normal person, or the dead kind.

 Quote: Alyssa Myracle

THEN they'll have gotten what they deserve.

< note to self >
Never *ever* piss off Jenni or Alyssa.

Hell hath no fury like a woman...

... scorned or not.

 Quote: steph a. wilson

Watching/reading this makes me sick to my stomach... As far as him letting his dog run free, he lives on a ranch! Since when do owners have to follow their dogs everywhere to ensure their safety? The dog was on his property minding its own business. It breaks my heart that this sweet dog went up to greet these people and they killed her. I cant believe that the two guys in the back are not being charged. They knew what the others were doing (especially since they killed other dogs) and they could have spoken up against this and called the cops...

Just what I was going to say.
I just finished his book. A true American hero. His story is amazing, and after going through all that, he has to come home and deal with THIS!? This dog was for his "rehabilitation" for heaven's sake!
Those scumbags are really perverted. Two years will never be enough...

 Quote: scott garrett

Had he shot them he'd be no better than them

Scott,
I had to take issue with this statement also. He would have shot them because *they* did something horrible.
The scum bags had *zero* reason to shoot his dog, it was the act of an evil group of men. Marcus would have had an excellent reason to shoot them.
For you to say that "he'd be no better than them" in that type of situation makes me wonder about your Moral Compass.

Scott, sorry, but I've got to agree with Will and the others on this.

I don't think you can make a blanket statement about this either.

Maybe, in God's eyes human life is more valuable. Then again, maybe in God's eyes all life has same value.

If that caliber hurts me or mine, I'm with Will. I'll hunt them down like they DESERVE and they will be compost if they are not on my property. Perhaps, a 911 cal if they are on my property.

I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't. And, probably, this beautiful young man won't be able to, either.

I am sure he will now have plenty of help in finding these creeps.

People who kill animals, hurt people.

Moo Duk Kwan Charter:
"Reverence for live is as important as offense and defense in Moo Duk Kwan. Our basic Charter charges all members to protect life, even that of an enemy. Developing a reverence for nature with an emphasis on beauty, speed, and rightness of action are training goals held forth by the Charter."

I've lived my life by this principle since I was six years old (now 32). I won't kill another human unless I absolutely have to and I have had to put two people close to that point, without a weapon, in order to defend myself and a friend. I've also had more than few guns pointed at me and even been under fire a few times. So, it's not exactly like I'm an armchair warrior with no practical experience and I'm most certainly not a tree hugger who wants to tickle the inner child of every criminal. (If anyone would like further detail on this paragraph, please PM me.)

Once again, if the dog would've been properly secured it wouldn't have been in the position to be shot. Kind of the same philosophy as not walking around a bad area at night.

 Quote: jenni williams

You don't let your dogs outside? This didn't happen b/c of negligence; these @$$holes came after the dog, on purpose.

In what way did I even imply that, let alone say it? I'm just curious as to where you get that from. My dogs actually go outside several times a day and always with either my wife or I directly supervising them. I'm mostly concerned about "concerned citizens" poisoning my dogs out of cowardly fear...I have been threatened with it in the past. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I don't contest the fact that they killed the dog on purpose, it's happened a lot with live stock where I live. One example, a guy who was either a returned Marine or Army and opened up on a ranchers entire flock of sheep, with his fully auto service weapon set to auto, killing or mortally wounding around 3/4 of them. Back on track, if this dog had killed a child, instead of being killed by cowards, I guarantee you'd all be up in arms about how it was the owners fault for not securing the dog. I'm not saying that this is any less sad and I'm not saying that these guys deserve a smack on the wrist (I hate animal abusers). I'm just talking about personal responsiblity.

About torturing them in return or flat out murdering them. Consider that that would put you on the same scumbag playing field as them and that an eye for eye leaves a world full of blind men. I've learned this by living around gang violence for 20 years. Once you start the killing, there is no end. One of their family members will them come for you or worse, your children. Someone tried to shoot me when I was 12, because of who my father was. Thankfully he was a horrible shot and I was able to run away. Food for thought.

I know my beliefs go very far against the grain and you've all made that painfully obvious. I've stated my counter-point and I feel that nothing more really needs to be said on my part.