PETA pursues cruelty case
An animal rights organization is urging the Orange County district attorney’s office to “vigorously” prosecute a man who allegedly took a video of himself abusing rabbits and a dog, then posted it on MySpace.com, calling his behavior “extremely severe.”
Joseph Anthony Deiss, 19, of Yorba Linda was charged last week with three counts of animal cruelty and three counts of animal abuse by a caretaker after allegedly throwing a pug and two rabbits 15 to 30 feet in the air and allowing them to hit the ground. The video was allegedly shot in Deiss’ backyard last June.
“They were a little dazed and confused, but it does not appear that any of the pets died as a result of this incident,” said Farrah Emami, a district attorney’s office spokeswoman, referring to the video.
The Norfolk, Va.-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals showed the video to authorities after discovering it last month, prompting investigations by Anaheim police and the district attorney’s office.
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-- Tony Barboza
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