OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- The Oak Ridge woman who admitted to smothering her dog to death spoke to Local 8 News about her actions.
When Jacquii Cooke first posted on Facebook that she opted to smother her dog because he was sick, the online community was quick to show their opinion on what they thought about it. Another woman, Missi Carlisle, went to police and filed a report to press charges against Cooke.
Tuesday afternoon, Cooke spoke to Local 8 News on camera to defend her actions.
"I don't kill dogs. I helped my dog with a mercy killing, and there's a distinct difference," Cooke said.
Cooke said she used her bare hands to smother the life out of her five year-old Pit Bull named Blu after he was infected with she thought was heart worm. She said she refused to go to a vet to have her dog euthanized because she said euthanasia is like what happens to mass murderers, and she wouldn't have her dog put to death like that.
"This is not something that I wanted to do. I don't live to kill animals. I love my animals. My animals are my family," Cooke said.
Veterinarians, animal caretakers, and animal control officers that Local 8 News spoke with all agreed that smothering a dog to death is a form of cruel and unusual punishment.
"It's appalling to me that she felt that smothering him to death was an act of compassion and love... That's cruel and unusual punishment," said Dr. Kris Novinger of the Oak Ridge Veterinary Hospital.
The Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley also weighed in on the topic.
"It's just sad that she felt there was no better option," said Amber Mullins. "There are plenty of other options. Any vet clinic will perform humane euthanasia."
The Animal Control officer from the city of Rockwood said that in a case like this, animal abuse charges should have been sought by law enforcement.
"When the harm is done, then that's when the authorities need to step in and make sure it doesn't happen again," said Mark Neely, the city of Rockwood's Animal Control officer.
Despite that, the Oak Ridge Police Department released a statement saying they would not be pressing any charges against Cooke, saying "per Tennessee Criminal Law (TCA 39-14-212/Aggravated Cruelty to
an Animal), no evidence exists at this time which allows officers to file charges against the owner of the dog."
The Oak Ridge Police Department refused to comment further on the case to Local 8 News despite several attempts to reach them.
Late Tuesday evening, a Facebook group called Justice for Blu started an online petition, asking the DA to press charges against Cooke. The woman who started the group, Teri Johnson, said she started the petition because she couldn't believe someone could get away with killing a dog and not face cruelty charges.
