Tag: Baltimore Ravens

NFL’s Ronnie Stanley Asks for ‘Not-So-Adoptable Dog’ from Shelter

With so many cases of NFL players abusing dogs, Ronnie Stanley of the Baltimore Ravens is truly a breath of fresh air.

Stanley went to the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) Saturday with his girlfriend and teammate, Alex Lewis, in search of a new four-legged friend.

He had just one request. “We are looking for a dog that’s been here a long time and maybe not-so-adoptable,” he told the staff, according to the BARCS Facebook page.

When Stanley was introduced to some of the dogs having difficulty finding forever homes, one in particular caught his eye: Winter, a 6-year-old Pit Bull/Retriever mix who’d been used multiple times for breeding, and then was left to die in a vacant house with no food or water. She had chewed through the drywall in an effort to escape. A good Samaritan noticed her last month and contacted BARCS.

Because she’s had several litters of puppies, Winter has a drooping belly that isn’t likely to tighten up. Dogs with distended bellies like hers are particularly hard to adopt out, Bailey Deacon of BARCS told the Baltimore Sun.

That didn’t matter to Stanley. “Well, that’s just what happens when you’ve had babies,” he told the BARCS staff, who said he showed much more interest in getting kisses from the pooch than any concerns about her physical appearance.

“It’s not a very good-looking dog per se for your happy couple or family going into a shelter looking to adopt a pet. So I knew this pet would probably have a pretty hard time getting adopted,” Stanley told the Baltimore Sun today. “It was pretty old as well, so I felt like it was a great pet for me. It’s very loving and very protective, and it’s a great addition to the family.”

He adopted Winter, and has renamed her Lola.

“We are so proud to have amazing guys like Ronnie to be role models to the kids in our city,” BARCS said on its Facebook page. “Not only does his single act of kindness make adoption cool, but it makes giving love to an imperfectly perfect dog a ‘manly’ thing to do.”

Photo via Facebook

NFL’s Terrence Cody Cleared of Animal Abuse Charges for Letting His Dog Starve

MARCH 24, 2016 UPDATE: Terrence Cody was sentenced today to nine months in the Baltimore County Detention Center.

After a three-day bench trial, former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Terrence Cody has been acquitted of felony animal cruelty charges that he “intentionally tortured” and “cruelly killed” Taz, his Presa Canarios Mastiff, earlier this year.

Judge Judith C. Ensor did, however, charge Cody with five counts of animal neglect, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Before announcing her verdict, the judge said she was aware that not every “morally reprehensible” action is against the law.

Cody was also found guilty of illegally possessing and neglecting an alligator, and convicted of two misdemeanor drug charges.

According to the disturbing details in a February 2015 indictment, Cody and his girlfriend, Kourtney J. Kelley, inflicted unnecessary suffering or pain on Taz; did not provide their dog with nutritious food or proper drink in sufficiency quantity; did not provide proper space; and did not provide necessary veterinary care.

Taz weighed only 50 pounds when he died in January. The average weight for a Presa Canarios Mastiff is about 100 pounds.

Cody was dropped from the Ravens after the February indictment was made public.

In his opening statements Thursday, prosecutor Adam Lippe said Taz “died a horrible, miserable death.” He displayed a photo of Taz’s small cage, filled with feces and vomit, and compared it to a photo of Cody’s shoe room, which was neat and tidy.

On the witness stand in his own defense Friday, Cody said he and his uncle run a breeding operation in Alabama. When Taz started losing weight in December 2014, Cody said his uncle thought he might have worms and advised Cody to give him medication for the condition.

About a month later, Cody finally took the emaciated dog to a veterinarian.

“I asked them could they help me with my dog, because my dog was very sick,” he testified, according to WBAL.

When he was told Taz died hours later, Cody said he was “speechless. I went into my own little world. I was still shocked that he was gone.”

Baltimore County Police Sgt. Andrew MacLellan testified Friday that when he executed a search warrant on Cody’s property two days after Taz died, he found the dog’s filthy cage in the garage. He said the smell was so bad that he and other detectives had to hold their noses and cover their mouths.

Cody told him Taz had only become sick a few days before he died, MacLellan testified. He said he kept him in the garage because he was a guard dog.

During the search, the detectives also found drug paraphernalia and a 3-foot-long alligator in a 3-foot-long tank.

Kelley’s attorney said she is innocent and was not involved in Taz’s care. Like Cody, she was acquitted of the felony animal cruelty charges (as well as the alligator and drug charges) and found guilty on the five counts of neglect.

Judge Ensor decided the verdict since Cody and Kelley chose a bench trial rather than a trial by jury. Cody is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 5, and Kelley on Jan. 22.

They are each facing more than a year of prison time and thousands of dollars in fines.

Photo via Twitter

Animal Cruelty Trial Begins for NFL’s Terrence Cody

MARCH 24, 2016 UPDATE: Terrence Cody was sentenced today to nine months in the Baltimore County Detention Center.

Former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Terrence Cody is finally going to trial on felony charges that he “intentionally tortured” and “cruelly killed” Taz, his Presa Canarios Mastiff, earlier this year.

According to the disturbing details in a February 2015 indictment, Cody and his girlfriend, Kourtney J. Kelley, inflicted unnecessary suffering or pain on Taz; did not provide their dog with nutritious food or proper drink in sufficiency quantity; did not provide proper space; and did not provide necessary veterinary care.

Taz weighed only 50 pounds when he died in January. The average weight for a Presa Canarios Mastiff is about 90 to 110 pounds.

“This dog died a horrible, miserable death because of the conduct of both of these defendants,” said prosecutor Adam Lippe in opening statements at the trial, which began today in Baltimore County Circuit Court, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Lippe displayed photos of the starved dog’s body and the filthy cage he had to live in.

Along with the two aggravated animal cruelty charges, Cody and Kelley are facing an additional 13 misdemeanor counts for everything from drug possession to illegally owning an alligator — which, no surprise, was also neglected.

Cody’s attorney, Joe Murtha, admitted Taz was neglected, but he insisted that Cody did not intend for the dog to die. Really? Anyone with half a brain — even an NFL player — should know dogs and other living things need food and water to survive.

Kelley’s attorney said she is innocent and was not involved at all in Taz’s care. So apparently she either didn’t notice or chose to ignore the starving dog in the filthy cage.

Cody, who is expected to take the stand, was dropped from the Ravens after the February indictment.

If found guilty, he faces a maximum of six years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine for the felony animal cruelty counts, and up to 90 days in prison and a maximum $5,000 fine for the five misdemeanor counts.

Nov. 13, 2015 Update: Cody Takes the Stand

On the witness stand in his own defense today, Terrence Cody said he loved dogs and has had them as pets ever since he was 5 years old, the Baltimore Sun reports. He said he even sneaked one into his college dorm.

Cody and his uncle run a breeding operation in Alabama. When Taz started losing weight in December 2014, Cody said his uncle thought he might have worms and advised Cody to give him medication for the condition.

On the night of Jan. 19, Cody wrapped Taz in a blanket and, finally, took the emaciated dog to a veterinarian.

“I asked them could they help me with my dog, because my dog was very sick,” he testified, according to WBAL.

When he was told Taz died hours later, Cody said he was “speechless. I went into my own little world. I was still shocked that he was gone.”

Prosecutors say Cody and his girlfriend, Kourtney J. Kelley, neglected Taz for a month. Yesterday a forensics veterinarian testified that the dog did not have worms.

Baltimore County Police Sgt. Andrew MacLellan testified today that when he executed a search warrant on Cody’s property two days after Taz died, he found the dog’s cage, filled with feces and vomit, in the garage. He said the smell was so bad he and other detectives had to hold their noses and cover their mouths.

Cody told him Taz had only become sick a few days before he died, MacLellan testified. He said he kept him in the garage because he was a guard dog.

During the search, the detectives also found drug paraphernalia and a 3-foot-long alligator in a small tank.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Monday. Judge Judith C. Ensor will decide the verdict since Cody and Kelley chose a bench trial rather than a trial by jury.

Photo via Twitter

NFL’s Terrence Cody ‘Intentionally Tortured’ and ‘Cruelly Killed’ his Dog, Indictment Says

MARCH 24, 2016 UPDATE: Terrence Cody was sentenced today to nine months in the Baltimore County Detention Center.

Disturbing details were released today regarding the Baltimore County grand jury indictment against Terrence Cody. The NFL player, who was cut from the Baltimore Ravens last week, is facing 15 charges, including two felony aggravated cruelty charges involving his dog.

Monday’s indictment, published today by the Baltimore Sun, alleges that between Dec. 19, 2014 and Jan. 19, 2015, Cody “did intentionally torture” and “did intentionally cruelly kill” his dog, resulting in the two felony counts. (His dog, named Taz, is referred to as a Presa Canarios Mastiff, not a Bullmastiff, as previously reported.)

The five misdemeanor animal abuse counts are for inflicting unnecessary suffering or pain on his dog; not providing his dog with nutritious food in sufficiency quantity; not providing proper drink; not providing proper space; and not providing necessary veterinary care.

Cody’s agent, Peter Schaffer, insisted last week that Taz died from worms. “If the dog was being treated cruelly, why take it to a vet?” he said, according to TribLIVE Sports. “When the dog passed away, Terrence was in tears.”

But an unidentified source told Aaron Wilson, who covers the Ravens for the Baltimore Sun, that Taz was severely underweight.

“Dog that died owned by Terrence Cody was roughly 50 pounds, should have had a body weight at least twice as high, per source,” Wilson tweeted today.

The source said a bone was discovered in Taz’s stomach, which may have been causing him not to eat. Taz died shortly after he was finally taken to a veterinarian.

If Cody is convicted, he faces a maximum of six years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine for the felony animal cruelty counts, and up to 90 days in prison and a maximum $5,000 fine for the five misdemeanor counts. He is also charged with misdemeanor animal abuse and neglect counts related to his pet alligator.

Cody could also be disciplined with a suspension or fine under the NFL’s recently toughened-up personal conduct policy. “If another teams signs him, he would be held accountable under the policy,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an email to the Baltimore Sun.

Cody is free on $10,000 bail. He has not commented on the charges, and has not yet been assigned an arraignment or court date.

Photo via Twitter

Former Baltimore Ravens Player Terrence Cody Indicted on Felony Dog Abuse Charges

MARCH 24, 2016 UPDATE: Terrence Cody was sentenced today to nine months in the Baltimore County Detention Center.

Terrence Cody, who was cut from the Baltimore Ravens last week while he was under investigation by the Baltimore County State’s attorney’s office for animal cruelty, was indicted today on 15 charges, including two felony charges for aggravated cruelty involving his dog.

These are the charges announced by the Baltimore County Police, according to the Baltimore Sun:

  • Two felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty related to the death of his dog, a Bullmastiff from Spain he bought for $8,000. If convicted, Cody faces a maximum of six years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine.
  • Five misdemeanor counts of animal abuse or neglect involving the same dog, punishable by up to 90 days in prison and at most a $5,000 fine.
  • One misdemeanor illegal possession of an alligator charge and five misdemeanor counts of animal abuse or neglect of the alligator. These charges are punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
  • The remaining misdemeanor charges are drug related.

Further information about the nature of the abuse wasn’t provided. According to Maryland law, aggravated animal cruelty is to “intentionally mutilate, torture, cruelly beat or cruelly kill an animal.”

John Cox, deputy state attorney for Baltimore County, told the Baltimore Sun that Cody was not involved in dog fighting.

Cody’s agent, Peter Schaffer, said last week that Cody’s Bullmastiff had died from worms. He said when the dog became seriously ill, Cody had taken him to a vet.

Schaffer was upset with the Ravens for canning his client. “This young man’s dog has died and the Ravens were so worried about possible ramifications from the league that they took a preemptive strike,” he told the Baltimore Sun. “The fact that the NFL has created such an atmosphere of hysteria that tramples on due process rights, the right of law and common decency is a tremendous problem in our league and our society.”

The “atmosphere of hysteria” is in reference to the NFL’s personal conduct policy, which was toughened up last year after the suspension of another Ravens team member, running back Ray Rice. In that domestic abuse case, an elevator camera captured Rice punching his fiancée in the face, knocking her unconscious. Rice later won his appeal of the suspension and it was overturned. Last week ESPN reported that the NFL Players Association had filed a grievance against the NFL to challenge the new personal conduct policy.

Schaffer insisted that Cody loved his dog. “If the dog was being treated cruelly, why take it to a vet?” he said, according to TribLIVE Sports. “When the dog passed away, Terrence was in tears.”

Cody has not yet been assigned a court date.

Photo via Twitter

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