The winner: Dai Goebel, Clifton: This tribute to Buddy the dog sits at Clifton’s Roice-Hurst Humane Society. Buddy was dragged to death inside Colorado National Monument by a man who stole him from the back of a truck in Delta. This memorial is for Buddy and all the animals that suffer from animal abuse and was donated by Snyder Memorials.
Lorinda Hernandez, Hotchkiss: Buddy and his dog brother, Max, were stolen, by Melissa Lockhart, from their owners; (the Lebers) truck while the Lebers were eating lunch. Lockhart took the dogs to Grand Junction and put them in her house. Later on, she told her brother Steven Romero to get rid of Buddy. Steven Romero then took Buddy to the Monument and tied Buddy to the back of his truck and proceeded to drag the dog to death. He left the body there and Buddy’s body was later found by a worker at the Monument. The other dog, Max, was later returned to the Lebers.
This story has brought on outrage from many and sparked the Facebook page “Demand Justice for Buddy.”
Tracie Gardner, Massachusetts: Buddy’s tragic story has brought together hundreds of thousands of people committed to seeing tougher penalties inflicted on those that abuse the innocents. The punishment that Stephen Romero is getting nowhere fits his crime. Since becoming involved with Demand Justice for Buddy I have been able to network with many other good people to help animals in need. Though as many as we help save there are still WAY TOO MANY horrible acts of violence against companion animals around the world taking place daily. We should all be ashamed we do not stop this.
Linda Rogers, Ill.: There was a ceremony for the placing of this stone on April 1st of this year. The reason and need for this stone: the murder of Buddy, stolen family dog, dragged to his death at Colorado Monument. The persons charged with this brutal crime against this innocent dog: Steven Clay Romero and his sister Melissa Lockhart. The maximum punishment for this crime: Not nearly enough.
Mary Clemons, Silver City, N.M.: The poor dog was stolen from his loving family by a horrible excuse for a woman and mother. She lied, lied and then lied some more until the truth finally came out that the horrible woman had an even more horrible brother who took the dog and senselessly tortured him until he was DEAD. It still makes me cry.
The only positive thing about this story is that the horrible brother is also quite stupid and committed the crime on FEDERAL property, thereby nationalizing this poster child of animal abuse.
Maybe, just maybe, Buddy’s story will help change laws to help all the other Buddys out there.
Mrs. K Flynn, Brittany, France.: The story behind the picture is the murder of Buddy the dog by the callous individual calling itself Steven Clay Romero. It has upset me greatly as the suffering the poor animal must have gone through would have been awful. Surely Romero should be given the max sentence possible.
Lisa Wiater, Homewood, Ill.: Sadly, these types of acts occur everyday, in every city, at all hours of the day & night. Stray animals are caught, tortured & murdered for the sake of enjoyment & pleasure of the murderer(s). Pets are stolen from their yards to meet the same fate, to be sold to laboratories to be used for testing/experiments or to be used as bait animals when monsters “train” their dogs to fight & kill, often with their mouths duct-taped shut so they cannot protect themselves. Slaughter animals are kept in horrible conditions called factory farms, never able to graze or move about outdoors. They are kicked & beaten before they even make it to the killing floor. Can you imagine such horror being inflicted upon you? Laws to protect animals, such as Buddy, are better than they once were but nowhere near where they need to be to protect “all the animals who have no one to weep for them.” But I promise you, we weep for Buddy & all of the animals discarded like trash-abused, unloved & unwanted.
Tommie Evans, Golden: A touching tribute to a special dog who did NOT deserve to die by a sick, sadistic (and fortunately) stupid man. (There are pics of him with Buddy going into the park but not out.) Buddy was dragged behind a truck and ran until he couldn’t run anymore and then was choked to death. I detest those people. This story haunts me to this day.
Randy/Willy Wonka, North Carolina: Look at “Tell Em Buddy Sent You” on facebook. That is the real story of Buddy’s legacy.
Thank you for caring.
