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Ohio Firefighter Loses Job Over Dog Incident
(AP) COLUMBUS, Ohio - An Ohio firefighter sentenced to 90 days in jail for killing his dogs has now lost his fire department job.
Columbus Public Safety Director Mitchell Brown said in a brief statement Thursday that he decided to terminate 43-year-old David Santuomo on the recommendation of the fire chief.
The firefighter pleaded guilty last month to three misdemeanors, including two animal cruelty counts. Prosecutors say Santuomo tied his two mixed-breed dogs to a pipe in his basement and shot them in December.
A spokesman had said the fire department received thousands of messages demanding Santuomo be fired.
Santuomo's attorney Sam Shamansky says he plans to appeal the decision. He says Santuomo believes he made a mistake but that it doesn't change his willingness to continue as a Columbus firefighter.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Columbus Public Safety Director Mitchell Brown said in a brief statement Thursday that he decided to terminate 43-year-old David Santuomo on the recommendation of the fire chief.
The firefighter pleaded guilty last month to three misdemeanors, including two animal cruelty counts. Prosecutors say Santuomo tied his two mixed-breed dogs to a pipe in his basement and shot them in December.
A spokesman had said the fire department received thousands of messages demanding Santuomo be fired.
Santuomo's attorney Sam Shamansky says he plans to appeal the decision. He says Santuomo believes he made a mistake but that it doesn't change his willingness to continue as a Columbus firefighter.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by stan ware on
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he took a life
a dog a cat a horse . a life is a life , take his job take his freedom . tie him up to a pole and shoot him see how he feels after . massive waste a human flesh .
he wants to be a fire fighter hell no put him in jail .
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Permalink Reply by Luke Summers on
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I totally agree!!! No matter on or off duty as a firefighter,cop or emt you still represent the city,county or whatever. Obviously he has no compassion. I read the story on fire house and it said he did it so he wouldnt have to pay to board them so him and his girlfriend could go on a cruise. WOW how hard is it to ask a friend,relative or neighbor to look after pets for you.......oh yeah he probably didnt have many friends if he acts like this alot. It also said he has had previous reprimands for different things over the years.
The department did the right thing.......I hope if they do appeal it gets denied. A Fire Department cant afford publicity like that, its this kind of stuff that makes commuties stop trusting its first responders.
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Permalink Reply by Kathy Appleby on
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There is something definitely unstable about that guy. He definitely deserves to lose his job. Animals are innocent and have unconditional love for humans. He obviously does not value the lives of any living thing.
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Scott Elsner on
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I agree totally, I'm not saying he should be crucified, but I wouldn't want to have to have that guy back me up at a fire, if he can't even take care of two dogs, how can he take care of a fellow fire fighter.
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Permalink Reply by Sheri Caelwaerts on
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Thank you Damnthing for posting the link. After reading that story, I wouldn't care if this guy was a firefighter, bus driver, janitor....he deserved both the jail time & loss of his job!!! If he didn't want to pay to board the dogs....couldn't he have called the local animal shelter??? And, the threats made by text messaging and other factor....I agree...I wouldn't trust him to have my back on a working fire...or any scene for that matter!!
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