CAPE CORAL, Fla., -- Animal activists protested for the third time in the last week in order to shine a light on the alleged animal abuse by four slaughter houses on Eastwood Acres. This time, they took their concerns straight to State Attorney candidate Amira Fox.
“Everyboy’s seen the videos. Until what they get matches what we see, we’re not going to stop," said Carey Kendizior, Protest Organizer.
The Lee County Sheriff's Office arrested Osmany Toledo-Suarez, a worker at one of the slaughterhouses, for animal abuse Thursday. It comes after Animal Recovery Mission (A.R.M) released undercover video to the public. However, Kendizior, says the arrest is not enough.
“I feel like they did it to try to satisfy the public outcry," she said. "One night in jail and to get bailed out the next day was by far not enough.”
Friday, protesters chanted outside a fundraising event for Amira Fox at the Cape Coral Kiwanis Foundation. They say Fox has had the option to investigate the animal cruelty cases but as declined.
“We want prosecution for these crimes." said Lisa Casay, a protestor. "This would be shut down in any other county and they’re not shutting it down."
The State Attorney's office released this statement on the undercover videos:
"Unfortunately the group called Animal Recovery Mission, utilizes techniques which appear to violate felony statues, making the evidence inadmissible and tainting the investigation."
Fox 4 went inside Kiwanis to ask if Fox wanted to make a statement on the protest, at first she agreed. However, minutes later her husband said, “wouldn’t be a good idea” and Fox 4 was asked to leave.
Protesters say they will continue their mission on Sunday with another protest.
