Greg Lemke and Mark Youngblood letter: Penalty for Cordy does not fit crime
The Forum - 11/25/2004
As animal lovers, we have watched with interest the abuse case against Dr. Ray A. Cordy. It was with great disappointment that we learned of his sentence for abusing and killing several helpless animals.
Exotic animals are not meant to be pets. When someone does take them in, they are solely at the mercy of that human being. Dr. Cordy left those animals without proper food and shelter, left them to die, to eat one another. What does he end up with, depriving a rabbit of food? It is sad to see our "justice" system treat this gross action with such a light sentence.
Dr. Cordy has to work five hours in an animal shelter. Maybe Dr. Cordy should be required to live in a cage out in the cold for a week or two with frozen water and no food. Maybe then he would really see how horrible his actions were.
Dr. Cordy, throughout this entire ordeal, has not been available for comment. Is it any wonder? What do you say after neglecting and torturing helpless animals? We can only hope that those he still has will find good homes before it is too late for them also.
Doctor agrees to plea deal
By Dave Olson dolson@forumcomm.com
Metro/State - 11/16/2004
A Fargo doctor accused of improperly caring for tigers and other animals on a farm near Pelican Rapids, Minn., has pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of depriving a rabbit of necessary food, water and shelter.
Dr. Roy Alexander Cordy, 43, 3001 23rd Ave. S.W., is to receive a stayed sentence of 90 days and a $1,000 fine, with $200 of the fine stayed, according to a plea agreement filed in Otter Tail County District Court.
Cordy is not to own exotic animals in the state of Minnesota and is to find new homes for animals still in his possession, according to the agreement.
In addition, Cordy is to perform five hours of community service at an animal shelter.
Three other counts of depriving an animal of necessary food, water or shelter and one count each of mistreating animals and cruelty to animals -- all misdemeanors -- will be dismissed.
The charges are related to a dead tiger, a live tiger, a live rabbit and a live deer found on the YOR Exotics animal farm five miles north of Pelican Rapids in February.
The plea agreement avoids a costly trial that possibly would have resulted in a similar sentence had Cordy been found guilty, Assistant Otter Tail County Attorney Cherie Clark said.
A message left on Cordy’s cell phone was not returned Monday.
Cordy’s attorney, David Phillipe, said his client is looking to find homes for the animals he still owns.
“The purpose of this (plea agreement) was that he would no longer own any exotic animals and he’s in agreement with that and that’s what he’s trying to accomplish,” Phillipe said.
Phillipe said he did not know the number, type or whereabouts of the animals Cordy still owns but the animals are no longer on the farm property.
A large cat and a number of deer remained on the farm as recently as last month, according to Mark Morris, a sergeant with the Otter Tail County Sheriff ’s Department. According to court records: An Otter Tail County sheriff ’s deputy checked on the animal farm after receiving a call Feb. 2 from a woman concerned about the animals.
The deputy noticed a dead tiger in a cage and a live tiger in a doghouse-type structure with tiger parts around it.
In a search of the property, authorities found one live tiger and collected body parts from four dead tigers.
They also found a caged rabbit that had dog food in its feeding trough rather than rabbit pellets. The rabbit’s water dish was frozen.
A live deer was found in a shed that contained no food or water.
No food or water was seen in the area where the live tiger was found and Cordy told authorities the tiger had eaten a smaller tiger, court records say.
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