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Man skips sentencing in puppy, boa cruelty case
Michael Struening and Amanda Chan
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 25, 2007 12:00 AM
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - A Glendale man who has pleaded guilty to coating his 3-week-old puppy in cooking oil and feeding it live to an 8-foot-long pet boa did not show up for his sentencing hearing Tuesday.
Joseph E. Beadle, 40, was supposed to be sentenced on one count of animal cruelty in Maricopa County Superior Court at 9:15 a.m. Commissioner Frank Johnson extended the hearing until 11 a.m., but when Beadle did not arrive, Johnson issued a warrant for his arrest.
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Initially, prosecutor Anthony Church requested a $500 bail for Beadle upon his arrest. However, Johnson raised the bail amount to $5,000 in cash, because "due to the nature of the case, the (bail) request was too low."
Reports say that Beadle fed a mix-breed puppy to the snake as two 15-year-old boys watched.
Kim Noetzel, spokeswoman for the Arizona Humane Society, said that the youths saw the boa bite the puppy, coil around it and begin to suffocate the dog.
"One of the boys said he could actually hear the bones breaking," she said.
Beadle then removed the puppy from the snake's grasp and poured cooking oil on it, so it would be "easier to swallow," according to reports. It is unclear at what point the puppy died.
Investigators found that the snake was also a victim of neglect. The red-tailed boa was several inches shorter than normal due to malnutrition, they said.
The snake is now in the care of the Arizona Herpetological Society.
"The snake was doing what any hungry snake would do," Noetzel said.
It is obvious that the judge understands the severity of the case because he raised the bond amount for Beadle, she said.
Pet boas are usually fed large rats and small rabbits. The meat is usually kept frozen and then thawed before being fed to the snakes, according to the Arizona Reptile Center.
Last week, the Arizona Humane Society released a list of their 100 worst cases of animal cruelty in 2006. Arizona cases snared landed three spots on the list.
Michael Struening and Amanda Chan
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 25, 2007 12:00 AM
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - A Glendale man who has pleaded guilty to coating his 3-week-old puppy in cooking oil and feeding it live to an 8-foot-long pet boa did not show up for his sentencing hearing Tuesday.
Joseph E. Beadle, 40, was supposed to be sentenced on one count of animal cruelty in Maricopa County Superior Court at 9:15 a.m. Commissioner Frank Johnson extended the hearing until 11 a.m., but when Beadle did not arrive, Johnson issued a warrant for his arrest.
advertisement
Initially, prosecutor Anthony Church requested a $500 bail for Beadle upon his arrest. However, Johnson raised the bail amount to $5,000 in cash, because "due to the nature of the case, the (bail) request was too low."
Reports say that Beadle fed a mix-breed puppy to the snake as two 15-year-old boys watched.
Kim Noetzel, spokeswoman for the Arizona Humane Society, said that the youths saw the boa bite the puppy, coil around it and begin to suffocate the dog.
"One of the boys said he could actually hear the bones breaking," she said.
Beadle then removed the puppy from the snake's grasp and poured cooking oil on it, so it would be "easier to swallow," according to reports. It is unclear at what point the puppy died.
Investigators found that the snake was also a victim of neglect. The red-tailed boa was several inches shorter than normal due to malnutrition, they said.
The snake is now in the care of the Arizona Herpetological Society.
"The snake was doing what any hungry snake would do," Noetzel said.
It is obvious that the judge understands the severity of the case because he raised the bond amount for Beadle, she said.
Pet boas are usually fed large rats and small rabbits. The meat is usually kept frozen and then thawed before being fed to the snakes, according to the Arizona Reptile Center.
Last week, the Arizona Humane Society released a list of their 100 worst cases of animal cruelty in 2006. Arizona cases snared landed three spots on the list.
