"Humane" Worker Goes
On Cow-Killing Spree

PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida — Just as it doesn’t do the law enforcement profession any good when a narcotics cop is caught peddling dope, it can’t be good news to the animal rights movement that one of its own went on a critter-killing rampage. And it’s probably best not to speculate on what his companion’s arrest says about his own profession.

A humane society worker and a mental health employee have gone on a shooting spree here, targeting cows, an egret and farm equipment on rural ranches over the past three weeks, police said.

Joseph D. Canegallo, 20, a worker with the Humane Society of St. Lucie County, and Raymond Hunter, 54, a mental health worker with a private treatment center, were charged with 19 crimes ranging from armed trespass and criminal mischief to cruelty to animals and aggravated abuse of registered breeding cattle.

Canegallo said he shot the egret "just because he wanted to kill something with his gun," an arrest report said.

Hunter told authorities that Canegallo "took great pleasure in shooting the cows, and that he found it exciting and very fun," the reports said.

Canegallo said he thought he'd hit several cows because he aimed his .22-caliber Marlin rifle into a herd of about 50 cattle at Riverland Groves, according to the reports.

Both men were arrested last Monday.

Hunter posted $53,500 bond and was released Thursday, while Canegallo remained in the St. Lucie County Jail on $51,000 bond.