Sadist Iowa man adopts rescued dogs from shelter only to let them starve to death in locked apartment
DES MOINES, IOWA: An animal abuser reportedly adopted two stray dogs from an animal shelter so that he could let them die of hunger and thirst, according to police. The sadist, identified as 21-year-old David Goodburn, adopted the dogs and left them at an apartment in Des Moines, Iowa, without any access to food or water. Authorities eventually, on Monday, May 18, discovered the corpses of the canines.
Goodburn had reportedly adopted the dogs, who had been previously tortured, from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. He then left the animals for weeks in agony until they died of thirst and hunger, according to the Des Moines Register. Authorities were alerted to the incident only when a neighbor reported a bad smell emanating from Goodburn's apartment.
When officials entered the house, they found the remains of the dogs. The 21-year-old was promptly arrested and is believed to have admitted during a police interview that he deliberately left the dogs to starve to death. Animal Rescue League of Iowa Executive Director Tom Colvin said in a statement: "It's believed Goodburn intentionally left the dogs to die."
No motivation for the alleged crime has been released yet. Shortly after Goodburn's arrest, he was charged with two counts of animal neglect causing serious injury or death. Both charges against him are serious misdemeanors, the outlet reported.
Iowa's Senate, last year, had rejected an attempt by its lower House to make a first offense of animal abuse a serious felony crime. Although the proposal was rejected, penalties for convicted animal abusers were increased soon after. Another similar bill pending in the House could see a second charge of animal abuse automatically upgraded to a felony.
The rescue organization's executive said that Goodman's alleged crimes have brought to the fore the social contract that exists between shelters and rescuers. Colin added that rescuers often take a leap of faith that people will adopt animals with the intention to give them love and care. "No matter what you do, you have to have a strong leap of faith that people are going to come here and adopt with the intention to take great care of pets," he said.
In another horrific case of animal abuse in the United States, Las Vegas police initiated an investigation earlier this month after deceased dogs and puppies were found stuffed in a bag at a city park. The dogs were reportedly discovered on Friday, May 8, at Desert Breeze Park. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police were called to the scene where they found a mother dog and a few puppies tied up in a large plastic bag. The canines appeared to have been suffocated.
Authorities estimated that the bag had been at the park for at least a few days because of the state the dogs' bodies were in. Reports state that they were already decomposing. The man who found the bag told the outlet that he only wanted to be identified as "Joe" because he was afraid of possible retaliation from whoever was responsible for the horrible act.