3 Accused Of Animal Cruelty For Blowing Marijuana Smoke In Goat's Face
TAUNTON (CBS) — Three Taunton men have been charged with animal cruelty after blowing what is believed to be marijuana smoke in a goat's face.
Lorenzo Kelley, 20, Nuno Camara Jr., 18, and Jared Jorge, 21, all of Taunton, were each charged with one count of animal cruelty, said Taunton Police Chief Edward Walsh.
They have been issued summonses to appear in Taunton District Court at a later date.
"I was definitely in shock, you know, especially the way she was screaming and stuff," said Manuel Massa of Taunton Animal Control. "You could see that they had her mouth open and were blowing it in her throat and stuff."
At approximately 11 a.m. Tuesday, Taunton Police were notified about a video circulating on social media that allegedly shows three men take a goat out of its outdoor pen and put a chain around its neck.
The video later shows the goat inside of a home with one of the men sitting on top of the goat's back. Two of the men can be seen blowing marijuana smoke in the animal's face, while the third man is filming the incident. The video was dated Tuesday, July 10.
Throughout the video the men can be seen cheering and laughing at the alleged abuse of the animal.
Taunton Police immediately launched an investigation Tuesday to identify the men in the video and locate the goat.
"They took the goat against its will to an area inside a home," said Lt. Eric Nichols of Taunton Police. "At certain times the goat was held down and the goat was pulled around by a chain on its neck."
The men in the video were later identified as Kelley, Camara and Jorge, and police filed charges against them.
"I don't believe anything that comes to animal cruelty is a joke. It's not fair treatment, it shouldn't be done to any animal in regards to the situation," Nichols said. "People need to treat animals the way they would be treated themselves."
On Wednesday, the goat, named "Lilac," was located at a home belonging to a relative of Camara's on Thrasher Street in Taunton.
Taunton Police and a Taunton Animal Control Officer went to the Thrasher Street home and identified the goat as the animal in the video.
Lilac is expected to be OK, and is being cared for by Taunton Animal Control.
