Page 1 of 1
PRESS RELEASE
RELEASE DATE: Immediately (October 12, 2006)
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Katharine Brant
261-2919 ex. 208

HUMANE SOCIETY CONDEMNS SEVIER COUNTY SHEEP KILLING

Officials of the Humane Society of Utah today spoke out in strong condemnation of the killing of a female sheep by students of Richfield High School as part of a pre-football game "spirit boosting" activity. They later dragged the animal’s carcass to the football field of Richfield’s rival, South Sevier High, and hung it from the goal posts with chains and padlocks. (South Sevier’s mascot is a ram. The Richfield students were apparently indifferent to the fact that the animal they killed was a ewe and not a ram.)

"What we have here is a flaming-red flag that there are some very unhealthy attitudes going on in that community," said HSU Chief Investigator John Paul Fox. "America as a whole is increasingly appalled by the escalating number of violent actions taking place in public schools, and a bunch of hopped-up kids gets hold of a gun and shoots a harmless animal - just over a ball game. With this kind of mindset, what’s to stop them from taking some other kids hostage or going on a random shooting spree next time? The point is that insensitivity to the value of ANY life coarsens people’s perceptions in all areas."

The Humane Society is particularly incensed by the comments of the South Sevier football coach, Travis McAllister, who apparently viewed the entire episode as nothing more than a childish prank. According to his quoted remarks, he feels that the slaying "[gave] our kids an incentive to play harder." The Humane Society disagrees. "These students are old enough to know better than to pull a stunt like this. We would hope that the coach would also be mature enough to see the tremendous potential for danger in the situation, but evidently that’s not the case," say HSU officials. They point out the great irony in the fact that October is Domestic-Violence Awareness Month, and a gathering to promote that goal was held in Richfield Park just last week. "There is no longer any question whatsoever that brutality to animals and violence against other people are inextricably linked," says Mr. Fox. "The whole football game should have been cancelled when that sheep showed up on the goal posts, and all of the students involved should definitely get psychological counseling. Depending on other circumstances - whether the animal was illegally killed, whether she died slowly or quickly, whether or not the owner knew about it - the maximum legal penalties should also be applied."

# # # #