Will more than 150 starved Alaskan huskies get justice?

To the editor:

Gathered together under a lifeless gray sky, a crowd of people waited for the doors to open to Courtroom 5 at the Palmer courthouse Dec. 7.

People from all corners of the community took time from their busy lives to attend the hearing of Frank Rich, the man accused of intentionally starving more than 150 dogs. The people came for one reason: to see the justice system work and to see Rich sentenced for his sins.

The satisfaction to witness justice was delayed, however, because the accused withdrew his previous guilty plea arrangement and wants to go to trial. The crowd left, but vowed to return.

More than 150 Alaskan huskies were removed from Rich’s property near Willow earlier this year. At least 22 dogs were found starved to death, frozen to the ground, chained to a doghouse. Other dogs, barely alive and too weak to walk, were put to sleep. In death, their nightmare of excruciating suffering finally ended. At last they were at peace.

For rescue workers it was an overwhelming job to remove the surviving dogs and transport them away from the tortuous hellhole Rich had created. Animal shelters were overwhelmed and businesses responded by donating lumber, volunteers built pens and countless others helped with food, blankets and kindness.

The dogs’ pleading, crying for food and water, which Rich chose to ignore, were finally heard by people who found the conditions so deplorable and so egregious they had to intervene.

When people witness what they consider abuse, whether it be a young boy in a locker room shower being inappropriately touched by an adult, or in this case a man willingly, deliberately and callously starving dogs to death, we have to do something and call the police. We can’t turn away and wish it wasn’t happening.

Some people see Rich as an evil, wicked, insensitive man where justice can only be served by the same treatment he subjected the dogs to: chain him up without food or water for weeks on end. Most want to see justice applied so horrific offenses like this don’t go unpunished. There must be consequences for such appalling behavior.

Pro football player Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in jail, a $5,000 fine and not allowed to own dogs for his actions in making dogs fight to the death for entertainment. Hopefully, justice will prevail and Rich will get what he deserves, too.

The crowd of justice seekers will be back for his next hearing. Too bad the jurors can’t be 12 of the Alaskan huskies he mistreated. That would be poetic justice for all.

Cynthia Nelson

Palmer