Comments on: Humanity Stoops to a New Low

Humanity Stoops to a New Low

fenriq — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 15:46:27 -0800

Lost Dog Held for $10K Ransom
An elderly man went out for a walk with his dog, on the way home, the dog disappeared. A friend helped him make some Lost Dog posters and he waited by the phone for some good samaritan to return his only companion.
Instead, he got a call from someone demanding $10,000 or he'd never see his dog again. He gathered up half of his savings and went to pay the ransom. The dognapper brandished a knife, took the money and said the dog was tied up to a post nearby. It wasn't.
He went home brokenhearted until he heard a car door slam outside and his dog came running up to greet him. Now he wonders if the dognappers were putting him on the whole time.

By: Keyser Soze

Keyser Soze — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 15:57:40 -0800

That is cold blooded, ripping off an old man like that.

By: crunchburger

crunchburger — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 15:58:41 -0800

These people should be left to starve in a gibbet at a crossroads outside of town.

By: Turtles all the way down

Turtles all the way down — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 15:59:31 -0800

It's *damn* cold blooded if Keyser Soze says so. Did you hear what he did to those Russians who were threatening to kill his wife and kids?

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 16:02:56 -0800

This is more frequent than you might think. When I was a kid, the tailing edge of a hurricane hit Houston and flooded the city. Six out of seven of my mom's show dogs were swept away, and so she put out flyers and ads in the paper. Several nutjobs called her saying they would kill the dogs unless she revealed intimate sexual details about herself, others threatened to kill the dogs unless ransom was paid, etc. Eventually, we we able to recover 3 out of the six, and ascertained that the other three had drowned. My mom started calling other people who had listed lost dogs in the paper and they all had similar stories to tell. This spring, it happened again, when two of my mom's dogs escaped through a gate that had been left open accidentally. My mom posted a $1000 reward that had nutjobs calling her right and left...but fortunately the dogs wandered into a classroom and a kind teacher took them home with her. The world is full of crazy people. Whether the freaks had the dog or not, it's sickening when people take advantage of situations like this.

By: fenriq

fenriq — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 16:08:12 -0800

The most fitting punishment I can think of would be to let wild dogs tear the perps to shreds.

By: crunchburger

crunchburger — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 16:15:34 -0800

Damned 8th Amendment. One does feel the urge to get medeival on their asses.

By: gnutron

gnutron — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 16:18:13 -0800

cold-blooded, yes. but the old man is also guilty of being an idiot. why would he just hand someone a bag filled with $10K and not have the police waiting around the corner to arrest the guy?

By: maggie

maggie — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 16:24:07 -0800

Thanks a lot, that made me cry. That poor old man. I hope those bastards get caught but it won't bring back 1/2 his life savings. Fuckers.

By: kavasa

kavasa — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 17:27:31 -0800

Seriously, you'd think if there was one thing the movies would teach you, it's that you don't pay ransom. This isn't 1300 and we're not paying ransom to the French king for our captured nobles, call the cops and have them help with it.

By: PinkStainlessTail

PinkStainlessTail — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 17:31:57 -0800

I'm an atheist but I make two exceptions: I believe in cat heaven; and I believe in a special hell for people who do stuff like this.

By: crunchburger

crunchburger — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 17:48:17 -0800

I cried like a little girl when I read the children's book Cat Heaven.

By: Snyder

Snyder — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 18:03:16 -0800

So did I.

By: weston

weston — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 18:40:29 -0800

Seriously, you'd think if there was one thing the movies would teach you, it's that you don't pay ransom. And you cooperate with hijackers, too, right? That's the common wisdom... or was. You pay ransom depending on your assesment between what's likely to happen if you don't and what's likely to happen if you do. I'd think kidnappers would have to be wary of committing a murder, just because it would make their own situation that much worse if the pursuit catches up with them, as many are (at least in the US ... rules can be very different in other countries). But the thing is, the law doesn't hit as hard for killing an animal, and the conscience of someone doing something like this probably wouldn't stand in the way of just killing the pet and being done with it if there's no follow through.

By: DakotaPaul

DakotaPaul — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 19:15:31 -0800

My fiance sent me this the other day (we are volunteers at a city animal shelter). I hope they find those bastards and throw them in a cage at the local animal shelter for six months. They get to eat nothing but dog food, have to lap their water out of a bucket, and only get their cage cleaned once per day (I'm being generous there).

By: Richat

Richat — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 19:21:35 -0800

Metafilter: There IS crying.

By: Cyrano

Cyrano — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 19:47:56 -0800

cold-blooded, yes. but the old man is also guilty of being an idiot. Geez, blame the victim much? Let's see: The 10-year-old Yorkshire terrier has been his only companion since his wife died four years ago. "He's my buddy," said Compton. "He'd do the same for me if he could." The man who called threatened to kill the dog if Compton called the police. I'm sure most people like the think they would act cool and logical in a similar situation, but fact is he probably was in a state of panic the whole time. Something the man loves was in trouble and he didn't want it to get hurt. And that can make you do things that look stupid to other people. Other people who aren't in your situation, of course.

By: graventy

graventy — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 19:51:42 -0800

Seriously, though, old people do some really stupid, trusting things. Hey, if you can help me get it out of Nigeria, I'll split this 11 million with you, say, 10 me/90 you?

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 19:59:16 -0800

Old people aren't the only suckers for that scheme, graventy, and they're born every minute.

By: quonsar

quonsar — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:17:32 -0800

i have all of your dogs. now get naked, damn you.

By: bonaldi

bonaldi — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 22:15:38 -0800

hoping they overdose on the proceeds. mmm literal bloody nose.

By: bob sarabia

bob sarabia — Sat, 31 Jul 2004 09:51:56 -0800

ok ok, just don't hurt them! *takes pants off, crying*

By: delmoi

delmoi — Sat, 31 Jul 2004 12:07:14 -0800

next time have the doggnapper read a serial number off the tag. And call the police.

By: mrgrimm

mrgrimm — Sat, 31 Jul 2004 12:24:40 -0800

"He's my buddy," said Compton. "He'd do the same for me if he could." no, he wouldn't.

By: dobbs

dobbs — Mon, 02 Aug 2004 10:07:45 -0800

Followup.