Phu Trien Tran, 45 years old, of Fernandina Beach, Florida was arrested and charged with four felony counts of animal cruelty after he allegedly placed cages holding four birds, two rabbits, and a guinea pig into the trash compactor at the apartment complex where he currently resides. He turned the compactor on to crush the animals to death.
Two rabbits who survived after put in a trash compactor and started. (First Coast News)
Bird who survived after being put into a trash compactor and started./ (First Coast News)
Tran was arrested Wednesday afternoon, April 4th, and placed in the Nassau County jail where he remains without bail.
Neighbors called the Nassau County Sheriff’s department at 11 AM after they made the grisly discovery. One of the neighbors hit the emergency off button to save the animals. Tragically, three birds and the guinea pig were killed during this savage act. One bird and two rabbits (pictured) were taken to a veterinarian for treatment. Nassau Animal Control Services now has custody of them.
According to neighbors, Tran received a letter stating that he was not allowed to keep any animals in his apartment and could be fined $800 for having them for two days. Tran was arrested shortly after noon in a shopping center.
Tran has been in previous trouble for fish and game violations.
Why would a person put animals into a trash compactor with the goal of crushing them to death be the first line of defense to rid his apartment of the animals? Why wouldn’t he take them to his local shelter, rescue or ask friends if they wanted any of them?
His barbaric actions shows he has no compassion for animals. The manner of death he chose for his animals shows his lack of empathy for a living, breathing animal and illustrates a depraved person. Therefore, Tran should never be allowed to have animals again.
Animal cruelty needs to be taken more seriously than it is in the United States. Our laws are too lenient for those inflict harm or death to animals. Despite animal abuse being a felony in all 50 states, most abusers do not go to jail. If they do, the sentence is short. Fines imposed upon convicted abusers is a small pittance in most cases and this needs to drastically change as well. More severe and harsher punishments will help to deter anyone thinking of abusing an animal.
Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein is a television talk show host, speaker, writer, and an unabashed animal advocate. Her love for animals and quest for the hard truth is what drives her passion for all things animals. She hosts the television show, “A Close Up Look at Animal Welfare Issues.” She adores her tripawd, Brody, who was a formerly abused pup who lost his leg because of cruelty inflicted upon him. If you’d like Tina to talk to your group or have a story, please email her at tevangelistaepp@yahoo.com. Like https:www.facebook.com/ACloseUpLookatAnimalWelfareIssues and be sure to check out AnimalWelfareIssues.com.
What a sick POS!! What’s wrong with him? This world is nuts. This pisses me off so badly! It seems like more people are hurting animals killing animals and they don’t seem to give a crap anymore! If we don’t do something to stop this to change us it’s going to keep getting worse! #TimesUpForAnimalCruelty!
Yes, it does appear more people are hurting, abusing or killing more animals than ever. I also agree that we need to address this. Thank you.
Stick him in a trash compactor and turned it on. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. I don’t know what to say this is vile this is disgusting I want to hit him I can’t believe a person could do this actually put live animals in a trash compactor. Pure evil. Put him away for a long time. It will never happen. The justice system isn’t on the animals’ side.
I understand your frustrations but if we resort to the same tactics as abusers, how will that make animal advocates look? I empathize with your feelings. It’s quite difficult to put aside our feelings when someone hurts, let alone, horrifically abuses or kills an animal. It’s painful not to want to say we want them to feel what they’ve done to animals they’ve hurt. I get it.
Resorting to violence won’t solve anything in the long run. That’s why we need harsher punishments for animal abusers. Too many get away with killing animals with a slap on the wrist. There is nothing to deter them from engaging in their cruel behavior.
Thank you.
This guy’s nuts! I feel there’s more to this story. Who puts live animals in a trash compactor? A whack job! That’s who! Sounds like a mental illness to think it and then do it.
Why did he have all those animals in an apartment?
The horror of it all. Makes me want to vomit. Imagining those animals dying in the compactor. Put him in a compactor to see what it feels like.
Maybe he is from a country that eats dogs, etc. No compassion or feeling of remorse. I call cruelty to any animal barbaric and appears to be in the same catagory as a sociopath. Sick, sick.
Seriously psycho to do something so evil.