Justice For Ludwig

Christella Reyes '23
According to a police report from Wayne police, officers from the department as well as the Kane County sheriff's office were called to the 5N600 block of Pearson Drive for a report of shots fired. There, they discovered that a homeowner had "fired multiple shots from a handgun at a neighbor's two dogs who he stated were on his property and aggressively blocking his path from his boat dock, where he was standing, back to his residence."? 
Some signs line a street near Joe Petit's home business in honor of Petit's precious dog, Ludwig, who was killed by a bullet, allegedly shot by Petit's neighbor, Hal Phipps, husband of Wayne Village President Eileen Phipps. The identical signs are appearing in Batavia, St. Charles, Elgin, South Elgin, DeKalb, and Algonquin as supporters connect on a Facebook page called?"Justice for Ludwig"?and post photos of the signs on their lawns, often with their dogs in the photos for emphasis. Petit's neighbor, Hal Phipps, the husband of Wayne Village President Eileen Phipps, purportedly shot Ludwig. Because the spouse of a village official was involved, the Kane County Sheriff's Office managed the investigation. Phipps and Petit are neighbors on Pearson Drive and both their backyards back up to the Fox River. Petit says his dog was playing in the water chasing sticks when shot. Phipps told deputies that both of Petit's dogs were on his property, behaving aggressively toward him, according to an Aug. 19 news release from Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser. 
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Cruelty to animals can take place in different ways. Sometimes pets suffer due to deliberate abuse. Other times it's due to negligence or ignorance. No matter what form it comes in, animal cruelty is not acceptable. If you witness these types of behaviors, it's important to take the proper actions to protect potential victims, two-legged or four. If you suspect animal cruelty in any way, shape, or form, it's imperative to speak up. There are many ways that you can help, including educating the public on this issue, donating your time or money to shelters and rescues that work against animal cruelty, and lobbying for better animal protection laws. 

St. Francis High School

2130 W. Roosevelt Road, Wheaton, IL 60187
Phone (630) 668-5800
Fax (630) 668-5893