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Firefighter killed dogs before going on vacation
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 12:48 PM
By Bruce Cadwallader

The Columbus Dispatch

Columbus firefighter David P. Santuomo will spend 90 days in jail and pay $4,500 in restitution for shooting his two dogs in the basement of his home and wrapping their bodies in a plastic sheet.

Investigators say Santuomo, 43, of 2945 Rushbury Dr., has admitted that he was going on a cruise with his girlfriend and didn't want to pay to board the dogs Sloopy and Skeeter even though two neighbors offered to watch the animals in his absence. At the time, he lived on Essington Drive near Dublin.

Franklin County Municipal Judge Harland H. Hale accepted guilty pleas to two counts of animal cruelty and one count of possessing a criminal tool a homemade silencer Santuomo used on the end of a rifle.

The pleas today could jeopardize Santuomo's career. He still faces an internal disciplinary hearing with Fire Chief Ned Pettus Jr. He has been a firefighter since 1996.

Assistant County Prosecutor Heather Robinson said the facts of the case are brutal:

On Dec. 3, Santuomo laid down a plastic sheet in his basement and tied the dogs to a pipe, partially suspending their bodies. He shot them multiple times, then dumped their carcasses in a trash bin behind Fire Station 27 at 7560 Smoky Row Rd., where he was assigned.

"He later bragged about killing his pets to fellow firefighters, and he showed no remorse, even joking about it," Robinson said. "Fellow firefighters were disgusted by what he did, and the Capital Area Humane Society was called to investigate."

Hale sentenced Santuomo to 90 days in jail and ordered him to pay a $150 fine. He must have no pets or firearms in his home for five years and serve 200 hours of community service; undergo random home inspections; and pay $4,500 in restitution for the costs of the investigation to the county and the Capital Area Humane Society, from which he had adopted the dogs.

He also was ordered to write a letter of apology to a firefighters magazine and to readers of The Dispatch.

Hale said Santuomo will be permitted to serve his jail time in 10-day stints over a two-year period.

Mike Vick would be proud of this guy.



Attorney Sam Shamansky, left, and Columbus firefighter David Santuomo appear in Municipal Court. Santuomo pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges.

And his job was to save lives.

I wonder if they were dalmations.

Take them to the pound or let the neighbors watch the dogs. Simple. Shooting them in the basement, going to jail, ruining your name, paying a big fine and then potentially losing your job.....nice job idiot.

That vacation cost him a lot more than what he bargained for.

what a douche bag.

and to brag about it.

i hope he never puts out a fire again.

oh my God! What the hell would possess this guy to do this -and- to think that it was normal or acceptable?

This guy is definitely missing some wiring in his head.... this guy needs to be committed for psychiatric evaluation.

Agreed, most serial killers or very deranged people start by killing / torturing animals.

What a __________!!!

Many troubling aspects to this, but the least of which is the actual shooting of the dogs.

The firestation he worked at is literally right around the corner from my house. My oldest son toured it as part of cub scouts. I wonder if we met him then... weird.

Where are all the "privacy" advocates from the dope threads,...??

Weren't they his dogs ??

Doesn't he have a right to do what he wants to in his own home ??

Why is the government stepping in here ?? Don't they have better things to do ??

So he kills dogs and fools around on his wife, that has nothing to do with what kind of fireman he is or how he does his job. Whats the big deal (insert HEAVY sarcasm)

can't kill your wife either just because you do it in the privacy of your own home.

Exactly. There are lines we don't cross. If your employer doesn't want me smoking dope, or killing dogs, then I don't.

Also,...it was time to reschedule the vacation.

You can't be serious. I swear, some people never cease to amaze me.


This guy is a sick bastid.

How do you know that is what is going to happen to them? I suppose you are advocating that everyone who can't or won't take care of their animals just go out and shoot, hang or drown them right now. I can't believe someone would make it sound like this man did something reasonable. Unreal.

LOL. You know nothing about me. But, I now know a lot more about you.

Yeah, I'm sure when he was bragging to his friends about how he killed his dogs because he didn't want to pay for them to be cared for when he took off on his little cruise he was crying his eyes out. You go right ahead and stand up for this sick freak. I'm sure it makes you feel very good about yourself.

Again, you know absolutely nothing about me, and because of that, you are making yourself look foolish.

Well, thankfully, the law and reasonable people feel as I do. I knew there would be somebody on this dude's side, there always is, and it still amazes me. I'll just pray you don't have any pets, and if you do, I'll just pray for them.

What amazing me is he thinks it's ok to just kill your pets out of convenience.

The article even states a couple neighbors offered to watch the dogs. And being a fireman, I'm sure someone at the station would have done it as well.

Here's some more info on this hero:


Firefighter kills dogs to avoid kennel fees

Thu, June 25, 2009
By BRUCE CADWALLADER

The man bragged about killing the dogs after he disposed of their carcasses in a trash bin behind his fire station.

COLUMBUS — A Columbus firefighter admitted Wednesday to securing his two dogs in his basement and blasting them with a rifle so he and a girlfriend could vacation without paying to board the animals.

“He said chunks of concrete were flying everywhere,” Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor Heather Robinson said.

“I think it was the thrill of the kill for him. He has shown no remorse for this.”

Firefighter David P. Santuomo, 43, pleaded guilty to two counts of animal cruelty and one count of possession of a criminal tool for taping a 2-liter plastic bottle onto the gun as a makeshift silencer.

He was convicted of “needlessly killing ... a companion animal” Dec. 3, according to the charges filed 10 minutes before the hearing in municipal court. One dog was shot six times in the head.

Santuomo, who did not apologize or give a statement in court, will spend 90 days in jail and pay $4,500 in restitution while serving five years’ probation, Judge Harland H. Hale ruled.

“This is a travesty and abhorrent behavior to those in this community who work to save the lives of animals,” said Jodi Buckman, executive director of the Capital Area Humane Society.

Santuomo adopted the dogs — both mixed breeds — from the humane society in January 2007.

Robinson said that Santuomo, of 2960 Essington Drive on the Northwest Side, bragged about killing the dogs to fellow firefighters after he disposed of the animals’ carcasses in a trash bin behind his workplace, Fire Station 27, 7560 Smoky Row Road.

“Fellow firefighters were disgusted by what he did, and the Capital Area Humane Society was called to investigate,” Robinson said.

In text messages, he lied to his children and ex-wife about what happened to Sloopy and Skeeter, investigators said.

Santuomo, a firefighter since 1996, remains on active duty while awaiting an internal disciplinary hearing with Fire Chief Ned Pettus Jr.

According to Robinson, Santuomo laid down a plastic sheet in his basement and tied the dogs to a pipe, partially suspending their bodies. He shot them at least 11 times.

At first, he said the dogs were suffering after drinking antifreeze, but a necropsy proved that he lied, Robinson said.

The humane society would have taken the animals if Santuomo had asked, and two neighbors had offered to watch the dogs in his absence, Robinson said.

In addition to the restitution for the costs of the investigation, Hale fined Santuomo $150 and ordered 200 hours of community service. He must not have pets or weapons in his house for five years and must undergo random home-inspections.

Hale agreed to allow him to serve his jail time in 10-day stints over two years.

Defense attorney Sam Shamansky said Santuomo will obey Hale’s order to file a formal apology with a national firefighters magazine and with a letter to readers of The Dispatch.

“This was an isolated event not to be repeated and totally out of character for him,” Shamansky said after the hearing. “He is extremely remorseful.”

In the courtroom, Santuomo raised a middle finger to members of the news media assembled to cover his case.



http://www.vindy.com/news/2009/jun/25/firefighter-kills-dogs-to-avoid-kennel-fees/?newswatch

Don't get me wrong, I don't think I could shoot my dog unless is was some crazy "stuck on Everest" kind of situation. Just commenting on which one looked less tramatic for the animal.

I had to put down both my dogs about a year and a half ago (16 years old) due to a host of health issues. The first one had a tumor rupture and was bleeding out pretty badly. We took him to the Metro Animal ER and they administered the shot. There was some short gasping and look of surprise that was hard to see a friend of 16 years go through. The second one died two weeks later. Getting choked up just typing this.

So in the end, I'd just like to make sure we have all the facts before forming an opinion on this guy. If he thought he was doing the right thing it's a factor. Joking about killing dogs is a matter of interpretation. I still remember riding home with my Dad as a kid after watching him put down his horse. He's telling me it's just a stupid horse - who cares? while tears and snot are pouring down his face. There's more to the story than just the words.

I think some of you remember me posting this.. here is the court ordered apology..

web page

Full text of David Santuomo's apology letter
Thursday, July 23, 2009 11:39 AM


Let me first begin by saying I am truly sorry for my actions.

After years of denying I had mental health issues, I began taking an anti-depressant in 2003. In 2006, I was also diagnosed with Adult ADD. I began taking medication to help with that in 2008. By this time, I had also begun using alcohol to self medicate to alleviate other stressful issues I had in my life.

In November 2008, I ran out of all of my medications, including one for high blood pressure. By the time I got in to see the doctor and found out through my insurance that I had to mail in for my prescriptions, I had been a week without my medications.

The anti depressant I am on has been proven to cause severe confusion and irrationality when it is stopped suddenly. I do not clearly remember the day I shot my dogs as by this time I had been 2 weeks without any medication.

In the state of mind I was in, I believed, or forced myself to believe,that they were sick or that they had drank anti-freeze. I did not lie to the Columbus Fire Department because I firmly believed it.

The text messages I sent were sent while I was on my vacation. I was not sober at the time due to being upset with what I had learned was going on back home. I do not remember the specifics of most of them and was horrified to find out what I had written.

When I returned from my vacation, my family staged an intervention and I consented to go to rehab for alcohol issues and to get my medications regu lated. I spent 5 weeks in rehab over the holidays and have not touched a drop of alcohol since my return.

I am now on the correct dosage of medications and have been seeing a therapist since my return. I did love my dogs and have never hurt another animal as long as I've been alive. I am not the monster that I have been portrayed as being. This was an isolated incident.

I am not trying to excuse my behavior, but wanted the public to know that I do have medically diagnosed mental health issues that I am seeking help for. I want to apologize to the Fire Department and all of the firefighters for the embarrassment and trouble I've caused them. I want to apologize to the public for my actions and causing the outrage it produced.

It is unfortunate that it took this incident for me to get the help that I needed. Teddy and Rose were great dogs and they did not deserve to die. I miss them very much. If I could bring them back I would. Again, I am so truly sorry.

-- David Santuomo

WAH. If you think they are sick, you take them to a Veterinarian. I wonder what he would have done if he thought his kids were sick.

apology not accepted,, seems staged to me and it was court ordered..

But then, I'm the wrong person to forgive him... at least for now.

What a load. He can add "bad liar" to his titles.

First, it's not an apology, it's a list of excuses..

Second, court ordered apologies don't mean a whole lot..

J/C

Condemnation and moral rightousness aside,I just wonder where this fit in his to-do list.
Turn off coffee pot,turn on alarms,kill dogs.Or would it be the other way around?