A 10-month old Pekingese pup was beaten to death on Aug. 14 in Beach. Talk about your act of senseless violence and cruelty to animals. It may only be a misdemeanor under North Dakota law, but it's unacceptable behavior anywhere and for any cause.

In North Dakota, our general relationship with animals has been flavored by our close connection with farming and ranching. We view animals a little more practically and pragmatically than our city cousins. But we don't condone abusing animals, whether its a goldfish, kitten, pup, horse or cow. Most farmers and ranchers treat their animals with respect, often as working partners. The same goes true for North Dakota city dwellers, in particular, hunters with bird dogs.

There are, of course, exceptions. It seems each winter there are stories about malnourished horses, cows or buffalo.

There's no way we can be anything but outraged by the death of the young Pekingese named Paco. The Humane Society of the United States has put out a $2,500 reward for the identification, arrest and conviction of the dog's killer. We hope someone collects, even if the dog killer is only tagged with a misdemeanor. This might be something the next Legislature would want to address.

People, in general, have complicated relationships with pets. And, some people think they want pets but are unwilling or unable to take proper care of them. Pets are abused and abandoned. That means there are, frequently, dogs and cats out there without homes. Animal shelters in the area are bringing together abandoned pets for adoption this coming weekend. It's a program offered a couple times a year. It's sponsored by PetSmart and it involves Jillian's Haven Animal Rescue of Bismarck, Prairie Paws Animal Shelter in Jamestown and Oreo's Animal Rescue in Dickinson.

Working with and taking care of animals pets or "livestock" implies a certain responsibility. It demands proper feeding, exercise, shelter and medical care of animals. Pets and livestock are not people, but they do deserve a certain respect and care.

All the shelters require pre-adoption papers be completed before adoption, and Prairie Paws requires a home visit.

There's nothing that can be done about Paco's circumstance, but there are dogs and cats in these shelters that could use a safe home. For those people wanting to acquire a pet, the adoption weekend, or "Second Chance for Love," is a way to make that happen and take care of an abandoned animal.