A March of Mourning for Puppy Davey at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Gardens

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - July 8, 2015 - PRLog -- Justice for Puppy Davey: The public is invited to take part in a vigil to remember the puppy who died due to horrendous abuse & torture, and to protest the light sentence his abuser received from Judge Brian Hill. Those who take part in the event will be sending a crystal clear message to judges and lawmakers; an animal’s life has value and those who abuse them deserve appropriately harsh sentences.

The March of Mourning will begin on Sunday July 19, 2015,  at 1:00 pm, at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Gardens, located at 1100 Anacapa Street. Around 3:00 pm, mourners will walk down State Street in a silent march for Puppy Davey.

Diana Basehart, co-founder and president of the Diana Basehart Foundation, is spearheading the vigil. She and other outraged citizens are coming together to try to protect innocent animals--letting lawmakers know that they want stricter sentences for abusers.

Basehart said, “This is not the finish; it’s the beginning.  We will continue marching and protesting and will not stop until the laws are changed.”

Organizers are also working to develop a data base of animal abusers and a Davey Alert which will be available to the public—in order to warn them about the potential for abuse. Chris DeRose, a well-known animal activist and recipient of the 1997 ‘Courage of Conscience’ International Peace Award will be speaking at the event, along with others.

The March and Vigil was precipitated by the court case of  Duanying Chen, who pleaded guilty to four felony counts and one misdemeanor count, including two felony charges of animal cruelty, felony assault by force likely to produce great bodily injury, witness dissuasion and violating a court order.

Veterinary staff spent weeks trying to save the tortured 5-month-old puppy before he was euthanized due to the severity of his injuries.  Davey was mutilated, sexually assaulted, had numerous broken bones & teeth, significant infections, and burns covering 80% of his body.  Dr. Andrea Wells, of AVS Vet Clinic, said it was the worst case of animal abuse she had ever seen.

Although the prosecutor argued for the maximum sentence of seven years, six months in state prison, Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Brian Hill  shocked the community by remanding Chen into custody at the County Jail for only one year with five years of probation, and his concern was more for the perpetrator than the victim.

The public is urged to attend this event to remember an innocent puppy who suffered unspeakable pain and suffering without the chance to live the life he deserved, to show support for the humane treatment of all animals and to express intolerance and outrage when abusers are not punished to the full extent of the law.  For more information, visit daveys-law.com