Michigan
State Laws
Michigan State Board of Education
Policy on Quality Character Education
“Qualities such as caring, responsibility, respect for oneself and others, fairness, trustworthiness, citizenship, and self-restraint promote a healthy, safe, and supportive learning environment that promotes the primary mission of the school, which is to educate. With effective character development programs, schools can increase academic achievement and prosocial attitudes and behaviors and decrease negative behaviors such as truancy, violence, discipline problems, and bullying.” (Source)
Reported Animal Abuse Cases
DeadlineDetroit.com reported that Ethan Crumbley—the 15-year-old who pleaded guilty to shooting and killing four of his classmates and injuring others in an attack in Oxford, Michigan, in October 2022—had allegedly recorded videos of himself torturing and killing animals and kept the severed head of a bird in a jar for months. He reportedly admitted to feeling “between good and pleasurable” while torturing a baby bird.
WILX.com reported that that a group of boys was seen throwing a cat into the air and allowing her to fall to the ground. According to a neighbor who witnessed the alleged attack, this isn’t the first time animals have been abused in the neighborhood.
WOODTV.com reported that a turkey was allegedly run over, beaten with a golf club, and decapitated by a group of teenagers.
Michigan Live reported that authorities were investigating after several witnesses reported seeing a pre-teen abusing a 4-week-old kitten named Beasley. Reportedly, multiple witnesses stated that they saw the child repeatedly throw Beasley in the air, kick him twice, and let him fall to the pavement before soaking him with water. When police arrived at the scene, Beasley was apparently terrified and bleeding from the mouth, but he has since been taken to a local animal shelter, where he is being treated for his injuries.
MLive.com reported that a teenager had been convicted and sentenced to up to a year in jail for helping her sister’s 21-year-old boyfriend bind a dog’s face and legs with electrical tape and stomp on his neck until he died. This act of cruelty was allegedly done to punish the dog, who had urinated on clothing.
WXYZ.com reported that a high school student may have been responsible for a series of images shared on social media that appear to depict a dog who was hung up by his harness, with his mouth taped shut and legs bound. The case was reportedly under investigation.
DetroitFreePress.com reported that two 15-year-old boys had been arrested and charged with cruelty to animals after beating a duck to death. One teen allegedly beat the duck with a stick while the other recorded video of the act on his phone.
FOX2Detroit.com reported that some students on the Grosse Ile High School lacrosse team had been accused of killing a guinea pig before a game and then painting themselves with the animal’s blood. At least 10 students were reportedly under investigation.
WXYZ.com reported that a woman and her two teenage children had been accused of abusing and neglecting multiple animals, some of whom the police had found dead or injured on the property. Five dogs were taken from the residence, four of whom were signed over to the local shelter to be put up for adoption and one of whom was allegedly being treated for malnourishment.
UpNorthLive.com reported that three young people had been seen dousing a neighbor’s cat with kerosene and then fleeing the scene. The cat reportedly had burns on his body from the kerosene and was believed to have ingested some of the substance but was expected to recover.
FOX17Online.com reported that a juvenile had allegedly uploaded a video to Facebook depicting herself and her brother slowly decapitating a live turtle using pliers and a hacksaw.
CBS News reported that a 16-year-old boy was charged with cruelty to animals and pleaded guilty to attacking and killing their family’s puppy, Leo. According to reports, the teen attacked Leo while he was confined to a crate after allegedly nipping at several family members during an argument, apparently in an effort to protect his guardian. The teen reportedly choked and stabbed Leo repeatedly. Leo was later euthanized due to the severity of his injuries.
CBS News reported that two teenage boys pleaded guilty to cruelty to animals in relation to killing a Canada goose. Reportedly, the teens admitted to throwing rocks at a mated pair of Canada geese who were apparently protecting their nest at the time of the attack. A witness apparently attempted to stop the teens from continuing the cruelty, but by that time, the male goose had already been too badly injured, and his lifeless body was found in the water.
Michigan Live reported that 18-year-old Jonathan David Cook was arraigned on a felony count of killing or torturing animals after allegedly fatally stabbing a cat, decapitating the remains, wrapping a plastic bag around the severed head, and hanging the bag containing the cat’s head from his belt buckle. Reportedly, Cook admitted to police that he killed the animal.