Will County State's Attorney runs special unit for animal cruelty cases, forfeiture of abused pets

One incident that motivated Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow to strengthen laws against animal abusers and protect animals was a case in 1999 where a man in Joliet set a cat on fire.

Glasgow said a neighbor saved the cat’s life by throwing a coat on it, but that particular incident scared him. He said he worked on legislation the same year to make animal cruelty a felony charge requiring a person convicted of the crime to undergo mandatory psychological evaluation.

“You can’t torture any living thing without having a little bit of a demented mentality and that should make you sick to your stomach,” Glasgow said.

Glasgow said he believes there is a link between cruelty to animals and other criminal behavior. He said many murderers interviewed by the FBI admitted to torturing animals when they were young.

About five years ago, Glasgow said he created the Animal Protection Unit within his office to specialize in animal cruelty cases. Recently, the unit was able to have several dogs, including six puppies, forfeited to Joliet Township Animal Control and set up for adoption after their owners were arrested.

“This is a situation where the dogs have been severely abused and so there isn’t a good reason for them to go back in that environment,” Glasgow said.

The dogs that were forfeited were a male pit bull named Trojan, a female pit bull named Baby and her six puppies. The dogs were seized after the arrest of their owners, Calvin Thompson, 36, and Andra Williams, 52.

Thompson has been charged with animal cruelty and Williams was charged with violation of animal owner duties.

Becky Gomez, Joliet Township Animal Control assistant director, said she’s happy with the state’s attorney’s office prosecuting animal cruelty cases and rescuing animals that have been harmed.

“I definitely think it’s a long time coming,” Gomez said.

Gomez said Trojan, Baby and the puppies have yet to be adopted. She said the puppies will still need to be with Baby until they are ready for adoption.

She said Trojan "will be adopted out eventually. He’s a really fun dog."

Trojan and Baby were seized by Joliet police officer Bert Badertscher when he found them outdoors in freezing weather, took their temperature and determined they suffered from hypothermia, court records show.

Thompson claimed Baby was not suffering from hypothermia and that he he didn’t want her forfeited.

“I do miss my dog,” he said.

Prosecutors Jeff Brown, Courtney Hogan, Jonathon Sakellaropoulos and Officer Badertscher work in the Animal Protection Unit, Glasgow said.