Andrea Rosebrock 
Update 7/10/09 – Dismissal Recommended for Dog Killing Fireman!
The POS pictured on the right is David Santuomo, 43, a Columbus, OH, firefighter who last December wanted to go on a cruise with his girlfriend but did want to pay for boarding for his two adopted dogs, Sloopy and Skeeter. So to save himself some money, he took his dogs into the basement, tie them to a pipe suspending their bodies and shot them both numerous times. He then dumped their bodies on the plastic he had already laid out, wrapped them up and dumped them in a trash bin behind the fire station where he worked. What makes this even sadder is that at least two neighbors had offered to watch the dogs while he was away.
This week, as part of a plea deal, Santuomo pleaded guilty to two counts of animal cruelty and one count of possessing a criminal tool a homemade silencer, all three misdemeanors. Franklin County Municipal Judge Harland H. Hale sentenced him to 90 days, to be served over 2 years, $4,500 in restitution, $150 fine, 200 hours of community service and he cannot possess any pets or firearms for 5 years. He also has to write a letter of apology to a firefighters magazine and to readers of The Dispatch newspaper. He has yet to face an internal disciplinary hearing with Fire Chief Ned Pettus Jr.
Felony charges were not pursued because there is no felony animal cruelty law in Ohio!!
After shooting and killing the two dogs he had adopted from the humane society, Santuomo was actually so proud of himself that he bragged to fellow firefighters. Thankfully, they were were not amused, but disgusted by his actions and his bragging.
“He later bragged about killing his pets to fellow firefighters, and he showed no remorse, even joking about it,” Assistant County Prosecutor Heather Robinson said. “Fellow firefighters were disgusted by what he did, and the Capital Area Humane Society was called to investigate.”
His lawyer calls his actions an isolated case and out of character but it seems Santuomo showed his character quite clearly when he gave courtroom reporters the finger.
And this waste of human life is still working as a firefighter!! Is this someone you would want to trust your life, or the lives of your precious furry family members to in the case of an emergency?? After pleading guilty he should have been removed from his position immediately! Fired!! And I’d also like to know what this business is of him being allowed to serve his measly 90 day sentence over a period of 2 years?? What makes him so special?
What Can You Do??
Let’s get the word out! Share this, use the email link at the bottom to let everyone know. Then contact the following list of people to express your anger and outrage!
Please send courteous emails/calls to the following contacts and explain why this man SHOULD be punished further and lose his job for committing this heinous act of animal cruelty. This a “black eye” for the Columbus Fire Dept.and the community.
Contact Information
Executive Director Richard N. Rucker
E-mail: rnrucker@dps.state.oh.us
Investigative Services
(Oversees Complaints, Hearings & Compliance)
Melissa Vermillion, Chief of Investigations
Phone: (614) 752-3959
E-mail: mvermillion@dps.state.oh.us
Bob Ruetenik, Investigator Supervisor
Phone: (614) 387-1950
E-mail: raruetenik@dps.state.oh.us
Thomas Gwinn, Investigator
Phone: (614) 387-1403
E-mail: tegwinn@dps.state.oh.us
Karen Mack, Investigative Assistant
Phone: (614) 995-5940
E-mail: kmack@dps.state.oh.us
Ohioans, you need to contact your legislations and reps to make some changes in your laws!! Your state is one of the few that still has no felony animal abuse laws. Being charged and convicted of only misdemeanors means creting like this can still get on with their lives after what basically amount to no more than a slap on the wrist for a cruel, heartless and brutal crime!! How much longer are you going to sit back and let people get away with it?? It’s in your hands! Get proactive and make a difference!
OUT OF CHARACTER??? The LATEST on this jerk. He doesn’t have a *stellar* employment record.
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/06/26/santuomo.ART_ART_06-26-09_B1_3BE9V1J.html?sid=101
There is another source to publicize this evil deed and similar ones—-The National Enquirer. They have a regular article in almost every issue about disgusting animal abusers. It is called “Lock Them Up.” They have had some success in getting animal abusers publicized and gives people and agencies to contact about the article. I realize it is a tabloid but in this case they are doing a good deed. I think this creature should NOT be working as a firefighter; he belongs in a mental hospital.
sick man for killing two innocent dogs for a vacation cruise with girlfriend-a very ill man to do this-damn coward-damn fool and stupid girlfriend with ideas-the dogs could have been saved-andy
Hopefully his fellow firefighters will refuse to come to his aid when he needs help. I definately would let him either sink or swim out of a fire!
Is it fair to say I hope he burns to death in a blaze ?
Scum bag I wouldn’t want someone like that around me for vaction nor a partner…. Hopefully his fellow firefighters will let the SOB burn when he neess help… I wouldn’t want to be in the same bunk house either with this scum you never know if he’ll kill you even… I’d be glad to deal with this myself and do what he doen to them.. The world doesn’t need scum bgas like him around…
RIP Sloopy and Skeeter…My poor babies..
And yet again, just like Tinkerbell and Wrigley, they were adopted dogs…
My heart bleeds for them.. And the excuse this time, for cold blooded murder..was a holiday with the girlfriend !!!! Unbelievable !!! I just hope to god that she has nothing to do with this POS any more..ROT IN HELL SANTUOMO….
Firefighters are supposed to be heroes, this guy is not…but at least the fact that the other firefighters think its horrible proves hes the exception to the rule…but really why would someone choose a profession saving peoples lives when they’d do something like that…
rest sweet Sloopy n Skeeter…hopefully, u’r evil “protector” will pay for what he’s done…..severely!!!! i’m so very sorry for what he did 2 u…
What happens when this and has kids and does not want to pay a sitter? He is a sick man.
Who would have kids with him after what he just did? I hope his girlfriend didn’t play a part in this, and left him after finding out what happened…
People like this just shouldn’t be able to have kids.
I am writting you as I’ve just read the story about this person Santuomo. I can not believe that this poor excuse for a humane being only got 90 days, and still kept his job. I think if I had to work with this guy, I’d be seriously worried ,considering his callus disregard for life, seriously worried. How can he possibly be let off with such a light sentence? I don’t understand this at all. He should of not only had the book thrown at him, but should have been fired and sent to prison. What exactly go’s on there? Does anyone there even have pets? If so how could they stand ideally by and allow this monster to continue on as if he had done nothing at all? And didn’t the place he adopted from have anything at all to say on behalf of those two beautiful innocent little dogs? Where were they? He is really lucky I wasn’t the one that adopted them to him I can assure you he would not have gotten a slap on the wrist. This is a total travesty of justice and I implore you to please on behalf of justice for these innocent dogs, that did not deserve this end ( why didn’t he let his neighbors watch them or return them to the shelter?) to please please please help get this changed if you can. There was no reason that Sloopy and Skeeter had to die like this, none. He should have gotten more prison time than fine, thats for sure.
Thank you for your time and I’m hoping that you can help make things right
Brenda Hixenbaugh
This is the email I just sent – RIP Sloopy And Skeeter : (
Whomever adopted the dogs to him should sue the crap out of him civilly. Generally there is an agreement signed stating that the animal will be returned if the owner cannot care for him or her properly.
He lost his job and now he’s fighting that because he says that he was only fired because of public and political pressure. Uh, yeah, dummy-the public pays your salary and the politicians run the city you are employed by. It’s nice to know that no one else in his community wants him involved. He has a million excuses. Like him, I take antidepressants and have ADD but seem to rescue animals, not murder them-maybe since I don’t chase my pills with liquor and drunk-text threats to my coworkers?
Cruelty to animals will continue as long as people like this guy are let off the hook easily. What they should have done in fire him, spent long jail time, and put him under psycho care. Neighbors offered to watch the dogs probably for free. There is no excuse for this guy’s actions. It is similar to Tinkerbelle’s case and should generate a lot of comments. Laws need to change for the animals. I shudder to think what this guy would do during a fire rescue. He obviously doesn’t care about life – just his own self interests – so why would he put himself at risk to save someone else. Get this guy out of the fire department now and into the slammer! RIP poor babies
OMG Poor Sloopy and Skeeter. That is unbelievable cruelty. They need to fire this SOB! And very quickly. I shudder to think this horrible excuse for a human would come to my place in an emergency and ignore my signs posted stating I have a cat and a dog to save. I am sure he would ignore that sign and he could care a less if my baby’s die in a fire. You people in Ohio need to see this and start really, and I mean really, getting serious about prosecuting animal abusers in your state. Next time, it will be your sweet baby he murders! Open your damn eyes there and start laws to protect your four legged children. This horrible excuse for a human needs far more punishment than what he was handed. 90 days served over two years………..what a freakin’ joke! I can’t even imagine what these two sweet baby’s were trying to figure out while the human they trusted and (sadly) loved proceeded to hang them and shoot them numerous times. Did one have to see the other go through this before his/her fate came? This is a disgusting worm that needs to be hung upside down and BEAT until he is dead! I wish him nothing but pain, heartache, troubles and disaster in his life and hope it’s a very short one where he dies a terribly, painful death. He has to be fired and made a public ridicule for one and all to observe. I hope your life is miserable Santuomo! I hope you have nothing but pain and misery the rest of your days. Oh..and if that girlfriend is still with him……….well, she is just as sick and cruel as he is. Let’s hope she is not. Rot you sick, cruel bastard…rot!
Jess, I totally agree with you. I just hope that the girlfriend was not a part of this, but on the other hand, if she was any type of decent human being, wouldn’t she have asked who was taking care of his dogs? Sorry, no person of the opposite sex is worth it in my eyes, if my dogs are interferring with plans. Hell, I will take my dogs over any man, and if I cannot take them with me where ever I go, I will be damn sure they have someone competent to take care of them, and live at my house while I am gone.
This story made me think of Wrigley and Tinkerbelle. This so called man, wears a badge of honor, being a firefighter. Well, he has tainted that badge, just as Zimmerman tainted the military, and what it stands for. This moron should have been fired from his job, and sent to prison for his actions.
RIP little ones. God will cradle you in his arms, and you will never be harmed again, but loved for the rest of eternity.
You are so very right Susie. There is no way in hell, I would not make sure my darling baby’s are WELL taken care of if I have to leave town. Here’s the funny part……this is the reason I usually don’t go anywhere. Not unless I can take my girl with me. I miss them (Sage and kitty Sugar) so bad when I have to leave, but I leave them in the hands of a really good, trusting, loving friend.
Hang this bastard! Fire him! He doesn’t deserve to serve on a team of caring. LIFE SAVING, individuals.
Jess, you and I are too much alike. That is why we do not go anywhere else but our cottage for a vacation, because it is a place where the boys can be their labbie selves. Funny thing tho, I despise this woman he is involved with just as much as I do him.
He is not a “Life Saving” person, or a person who deserves to wear a badge of honor, because there is no honor in being a murderer.
piece of crap has a facebook and if the girlfriend is human she wouldnt still be with these piece of dirt
This is outrageous! Would be interesting to know how many homes he went into to save people and their furry freinds and how many furry family members of those houses did NOT make it out…
I think he should be fired immediately as we all know cruelty to animals and cruelty to people is just one tiny step away from each other. Who know’s the next fire he is called to duty might be on a holiday and he “misses” a BBQ at home…
I surely would not feel safe knowing someone like that is on my local firetruck.
RIP poor babies!
I like how his lawyers say this was an isolated case and out of character for this man. It was obviously not out of character if he took care to make a homemade silencer when he shot his dogs. Why adopt those dogs if he values their lives so little that he would end them so coldy and brutally? I am not a fan of the “out of character” line people use so often because it pushes blame off of themselves, like that person is only capable of good deeds and bad actions are the result of someone totally different. The fact remains that this man is a cold blooded killer, just as much as if he had killed a human, and he deserves a MUCH harsher punishment than he was given.
His attorney is a complete mindless moron. I am so sick of this argument about people caring more for animals than humans. You can care about both, a point which obviously sails above the head of this idiot. Just shut up already.
I really hope the book gets thrown at this “fireman”. People are getting sick of this crime, and judges and prosecutors need to remember that.
You’re a real tough guy, fireboy.
This guy is a total loser. More than that – anyone who is so heartless that they would kill their pets rather than find someone to watch them while vacationing is sick. He has no compassion, no empathy, no regard for life. I realize dogs aren’t the same as people, but he took them in with the responsibility to love and care for them. He failed miserably. Any woman who would stay with him is crazy. He is a loose cannon and dangerous. If he thinks nothing of killing his dogs, what might he do in a rage? I hope she sees some sense and leaves him. He is a sick loser. And I agree, his attorney isn’t much better.
This guy should be jailed for a very long time and dismissed immediately.
Update 7/10/09 – Dismissal Recommended for Dog Killing Fireman!
FaBYWue9h Travelers Insurance O3Jdjt0EZ Flood Insurance iaYphOBJA Aaa Insurance ZzJLUdOpj Health Insurance Plans dA0L5DKJO Insurance Broker OzjGsMkiBP insurance brokers dm6MWNjSwr insurance jYFcnNPmV unemployment insurance ontario