Buzz
From the earliest days of domestication, humans have shared their homes and farms with animals, moving them far from their natural surroundings. Today, it is widely believed that animals act purely on instinct and are not responsible when things go awry during their interaction with humans. The decision to kill an animal usually only arises when it poses a threat to health and safety, with the culling of pests being a common practice.
The laws surrounding animal misconduct were not always as clear-cut. For centuries, society wrestled with how to handle animals that committed heinous acts. On some occasions, animals were put on trial just like humans. In other instances, citizens took matters into their own hands, issuing death sentences to animals found guilty of a crime.
10. Mary The Elephant
In 1916, the Sparks Circus performed in a small town in Tennessee. Mary, a female elephant, was being ridden by her new trainer, Red Eldridge, a novice who had no prior experience with animals. On his first day, Eldridge, a former broom-pusher, tried to control Mary when she got distracted by some watermelons on the ground. He struck her with a metal hook, which caused her great pain and frustration. In response, Mary grabbed him with her trunk, threw him to the ground, and stomped on his head in front of a stunned crowd. The audience screamed, 'Kill the elephant!' One onlooker even fired a gun at her, but the bullets bounced off her tough skin.
The Sparks Circus, realizing the severity of the situation, knew that ignoring it could lead to financial disaster. The owner decided to make Mary's public execution a spectacle. A large crowd gathered at the rail yard in Erwin, Tennessee. A crane was brought in to act as a makeshift gallows, and the elephant was hoisted by a chain around her neck. The first chain broke, but a stronger one was found. On the second attempt, Mary was successfully lynched.
9. The Rooster of Basel
In 1474, a rooster in Basel, Switzerland, laid an egg. This should not have been possible, since roosters are male, but it was documented nonetheless. If such an event happened today, it would baffle scientists. However, in the 15th century, it was believed to be the work of the Devil. The rooster was put on trial for this unnatural act and sentenced to be burned alive. Afterward, the executioner discovered three more eggs inside the rooster's body.
At the time, many believed that a rooster laying an egg signified the presence of a mythical creature, a cockatrice—a dragon-chicken hybrid. Others thought witches used such eggs in their spells. Modern-day experts theorize that the rooster was actually a hen that had been misidentified, as no similar occurrences have been recorded since.
8. The Idaho Snapping Turtle
In March 2018, Robert Crosland, a science teacher at a high school in Idaho, shocked his students with an appalling lesson. For reasons unknown, he chose to demonstrate the behavior of omnivores by feeding a sick puppy to a large snapping turtle. Witnesses claimed that the turtle 'bit the puppy in half' while students screamed in distress, pleading for the teacher to stop. Crosland had previously brought guinea pigs and other small animals for the turtle to consume, but the puppy was too much for many to bear.
The Idaho Humane Society launched an investigation into the incident, charging Crosland with animal cruelty. The authorities took the turtle into custody and made the immediate decision to euthanize it. After the news spread, the school began receiving threats from outraged dog lovers, with many parents demanding Crosland's termination.
7. Dormie The Dog
San Francisco was a very different place in 1921. Pet owners were far more lenient, allowing their cats and dogs to roam freely. A purebred Airedale Terrier named Dormie became infamous for killing and eating cats across the city. One of the most chilling incidents involved a mother cat named Sunbeam, who was peacefully sitting in her backyard, nursing her newborn kittens. Dormie entered the yard and brutally killed Sunbeam and several of her kittens. In total, Dormie was responsible for the deaths of 14 cats around town.
At the time, the law required that dangerous dogs be put down immediately after an attack. However, Dormie’s owner, Eaton McMillan, refused to have his dog euthanized. McMillan hired a lawyer and demanded a trial by jury for Dormie’s violent actions. Ultimately, Dormie was acquitted, and the judge decided to abolish the law mandating executions for dogs. Instead, the solution was to tell cat owners to keep their pets indoors.
6. Mamma and Her Piglets
In 1457, a young child was playing near a pig pen in Lavigny, France. The pen housed a large mother sow and her six piglets. Unfortunately, the child fell into the pen while trying to interact with the piglets. The hungry pigs, thinking he was their next meal, attacked. One can only imagine the heartbreak and terror the parents must have felt upon discovering their child had been torn apart by the animals.
At the time, French law required that animals be tried for their crimes before being put to death. The sow was put on trial for murder. The court sentenced the mother to death but spared the piglets, reasoning that they were simply influenced by their mother’s actions. There are no records of what happened to the sow afterward, but one can imagine that eating such a murderous pig would be an unsettling thought.
5. The Hartlepool Monkey
A tale from the Napoleonic Wars recounts the story of a French ship that was wrecked along the coast of England in a small fishing village called Hartlepool. As the locals approached the shipwreck, a monkey emerged from the vessel. Having heard dreadful tales of the French, the villagers assumed the small, hairy creature was the enemy they had feared. They mistakenly believed the monkey was a spy and decided to hang it.
The absurdity of the story became so popular that the people of Hartlepool were forever dubbed the 'monkey hangers.' In fact, monkeys have since become the town's official sports mascot.
Historians trace the origins of this tale to a song from 1855 written by Edward 'Ned' Corvan, which humorously described Napoleon's 'hairy uncle.' While many locals claim the monkey hanging actually happened, others believe Corvan invented the story. There is evidence, however, that Corvan may have been inspired by a real incident involving a monkey executed while traveling with the Russian navy. Despite the debate, the story remains a cherished part of Hartlepool's history and has even been turned into a stage play.
4. A Bunch Of Bull
Bulls and humans have shared a tumultuous history for centuries. Bullfighting, a practice known for placing humans in perilous, life-threatening scenarios, remains popular even today. Events like the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, still see people daring to challenge these mighty animals. Historic records demonstrate that this dangerous relationship isn't new. For instance, as early as 1499, a bull in the French village of Beapre killed a 14-year-old boy, prompting the local court to sentence the bull to death for the crime of murder.
Another historical account from 1796 recounts a cattle plague spreading in a German village. After investigating, the local veterinarian discovered that a bull, which had been mating with all the cows while carrying the disease, was the cause. The bull was sentenced to death in front of a crowd of several hundred people, after which it was buried.
3. Burn Them All
Throughout history, when someone was caught committing bestiality, the punishment was severe: both the man and the animal would be executed, as though the act was a shared crime. In many documented cases, the penalty involved burning both the individual and the animal alive.
One notorious case involved Mr. Potter, a man who shocked his community with his grotesque fetish, despite being a devout churchgoer for over 20 years. His wife testified that she had caught him sexually assaulting their dog, to which he offered some fabricated excuse. Later, he even hanged the dog. After a trial, he was executed, and other animals he had abused, including cows, pigs, and sheep, were also hanged.
In recent years, laws regarding bestiality have become significantly more lenient, and in some places, they no longer exist at all. However, in 2018, lawmakers in Wisconsin passed a bill that elevated bestiality from a misdemeanor to a felony after a man named Sterling Rachwal, a serial abuser of horses, managed to evade punishment for his crimes for years.
2. Don’t Leave The Door Open
In 1494, a couple residing on a fee-farm property owned by an abbey in France felt at ease leaving their front door open on a warm day. With the man occupied feeding the cattle and his wife busy with chores, they left their baby sleeping peacefully in its cradle.
However, a pig wandered in through the open door, drawn by the scent of food. The pig discovered the baby and proceeded to devour the child's face and neck. The parents, upon finding the gruesome scene, immediately called the authorities. Witnesses from the abbey supported the parents' account of the horrifying event. The pig was taken into custody, put on trial for murder, and ultimately executed in a public hanging.
1. Field Critters
In the present day, it’s quite common to eliminate moles or mice from private properties when they cause harm or even minor inconvenience. However, back in 1519, the residents of the Austrian town of Stelvio found themselves in court, debating what should be done with the animals that were damaging their crops and burrowing into the soil, making it infertile. Some individuals argued that killing the animals would be cruel, particularly to those that were pregnant or nursing their young.
A man named Hans Grinebner was appointed to defend the animals. His stance was that this behavior was simply part of nature, and the townspeople should not complain. The opposing lawyer, Schwarz Mining, argued that the animals had caused so much damage to the crops that some residents were unable to pay their rent. Ultimately, the judge ruled that the financial damages were sufficient justification for the townspeople to take any necessary action to eliminate these creatures, regardless of the circumstances.
