May 18, 2025

"A large number of animals were also removed from the home, including four Great Danes, three other dogs, a lizard, snakes, several birds, two hamsters and 29 chinchillas..."

"... according to Chief Harkins. Ms. Spencer’s social media is filled with love notes to Mr. Mosely, interspersed with images of her in sundresses posing with Great Danes at dog competitions."

From "Couple Imprisoned Girl for 7 Years and Kept Her in Dog Cage, Police Say/Investigators, who did not identify the teenager, now 18, said they believed she had been sexually abused by her stepfather" (NYT).

I know cruelty toward non-human animals correlates with cruelty toward human beings, but I wonder if an effusive, over-the-top love for non-human animals correlates with cruelty toward human beings. Are there not people who see dogs (or cats) as purer and better than humans and more deserving of loving care? Of course, one's dog will give unconditional love and never utter a word of criticism. Compare a teenager to a dog and — if you are incredibly stupid or deranged — you may descend into a Great-Dane-and-chinchilla-infested hell of the sort devised by Ms. Spencer and Mr. Mosely.

34 comments:

Jaq said...

There was a Sopranos episode based on your theory.

wild chicken said...

Plenty people will say outright that they like dogs better than people. Today's shameless dog nuttery is over the top.

RCOCEAN II said...

These people must have been well off. Can you imagine the cost of feeding 4 Great Danes. Those things are mini-horses.

stunned said...

"If you want to test a person's character, give them power," said Lincoln.

Many character-disturbed individuals live among us. Their dysfunctional behaviors stem from an underdeveloped conscience.

John J said...

My bad. I read "sundresses" as undressed and wondered if the article had a link with pictures.

n.n said...

Also, virtue signaling to sustain progress, rationalize Choices, and ameliorate a guilty conscience. Trump touched on this point in his speech. Vance, on a separate occasion. All's fair in lust and abortion?

Wince said...

"Woman and Great Dane"

https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/Woman-and-Great-Dane/C18555754FFA6B3EEEC1A32AA4AFE273

Ice Nine said...

I'm afraid to click that, Wince.

Jamie said...

Over half a century old, and STILL the depths of human depravity can shock me.

Aggie said...

Alcatraz.

Lloyd W. Robertson said...

Allan Bloom assembled some of his writings on love and friendship. In a new intro he said something like: if we want to have friends, we will have to look among human beings. Dogs and horses won't quite do. This makes me laugh.

Lazarus said...

I know cruelty toward non-human animals correlates with cruelty toward human beings, but I wonder if an effusive, over-the-top love for non-human animals correlates with cruelty toward human beings.

Right out of the gate, the possibility of Hitler not being mentioned is zero.

NKP said...

People who humanize their pets have issues. Love my dog but it is a DOG.

Lazarus said...

New Jersey. Camden county. Gloucester. I would have guessed Austria or Britain.

typingtalker said...

"Of course, one's dog will give unconditional love and never utter a word of criticism."

But one's dog isn't likely to take care of one during one's old age.

Jamie said...

But one's dog isn't likely to take care of one during one's old age.

And one's cat (and probably some dogs) is a whole lot more likely to eat one's dead body if the opportunity arises.

Michael said...

Sad to acknowledge, but I generally react more emotionally to stories of abused dogs than of abused children.

Peachy said...

Soros DA to let off the hook.

David53 said...

In our old age my wife and I dote on our dogs. The kids and grandkids we seldom see. We see the dogs everyday. We love them doggies, we love the kids. The kids will take care of us in our old age, hopefully, and the dogs will continue to make us smile.

Narr said...

That many Nazis and other Germans were both sentimental and brutal has been oft-remarked.

They were very tough on animal cruelty, and had some of the most anti-tobacco ambitions around.

IamDevo said...

People who characterize their pets as "furbabies" make me want to reach for my Walther.

walter said...

Reminds me of my childhood next door neighbors who had abusive kids, a wide range of animals (culminating with a lion cub) annnnd..an out of the house catering business.

Mary Beth said...

The couple also have twin 5-year-old daughters and a 3-year-old son. All it says about them is that they weren't in the house and officials weren't able to provide any information about them. None of the other articles I've seen about this even mention these children. If they aren't with family, the news about this couple and their children is going to get a lot worse.

n.n said...

whole lot more likely to eat one's dead body if the opportunity arises

Cadaver a la fetus are technical term-of-art with similar motives.

Michael said...

IamDevo said...

People who characterize their pets as "furbabies" make me want to reach for my Walther.


Furbabies is the language of single, middle-age, childless, professional white women. Probably to compensate for their barren womb.

n.n said...

There was recently a locally reported trial of a masculine gender couplet who sodomized their adopted masculine gender "sons", but there was no report if pets were involved.

Joe Bar said...

Stories like this make me lose faith in humanity.

chickelit said...

Here the ways of men and women part—many do love animals more than humanity.

wild chicken said...

"And one's cat (and probably some dogs) is a whole lot more likely to eat one's dead body if the opportunity arises."

Nonsense. They both will.

Gospace said...

No one has said it yet- so I will.

One of the most dangerous places for a young girl to be is in a house with her mother and an unrelated male.

Randomizer said...

Animal shelters are popular charities because dogs and cats are blameless. Homeless shelters may not be as popular because one suspects that the people being helped brought some of this on themselves.

Jamie said...

Nonsense. They both will.

That's why I said "and probably some dogs." Those of us who have had both would like to believe, however quixotically, that our dogs would simply mount guard over our remains... but we all know our cats would simply start with the softest parts.

Biff said...

"Officials also took aim at home-schooling, an increasingly popular and barely regulated alternative to traditional schooling. Taking the girl out of school 'helped hide the heinous, yearslong torture,' Grace C. MacAulay, the Camden County prosecutor, said."

I'm surprised the article didn't blame it on Trump, Musk, and/or Vance.

Joe Bar said...

Don't look for pictures of the perpetrators. It will confirm everything you are thinking.

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