Digital Petition Seeks Justice For Dog Dragged To Death

By: Mireya Garcia

COLORADO SPRINGS- The dragging death of a dog in Grand Junction has hundreds of thousands asking for justice, online.

An animal activist that goes by the name “Willie Wonka” created the Facebook groups “Justice for Buddy “and” To Honor Buddy. Wonka says he is from the East Coast, and is involved in cases of animal cruelty at a nationwide level.

Buddy was the name of the dog that was dragged to it’s death in late December 2009 on federal property. The man accused of the crime is 37-year-old Steven Romero. Romero is set to be in federal court on January 27, 2009, and the administrators of the Buddy groups are petitioning for Romero to receive the maximum sentence should he be convicted.

The petition has nearly 100,000 signatures, and will be presented to the prosecution.

A local attorney, Michael Duncan is not involved in the case, but works with criminal defense. Duncan is also an animal lover, and has a foster home for cats in his office.

Duncan says that the petition is impressive, but it may not make a big impact on a judge because federal judges sentence individuals that are convicted based on strict federal guidelines.

Duncan also says the crime committed is horrific, but Romero is innocent until proven guilty in the eyes of the law.

If convicted on Romero could face up to 3 years in a federal prison, and a $100,000 fine.

Below you will find the links for the sites honoring Buddy:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=266340154528&ref=search&sid=7925576.4091753155..1

Below is the link to Safe Place Pets:

(The organization Duncan helps by providing a foster home to animals)