n Saturday Feb 24th the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London is hosting an event called the Gerald McClellan Benefit Evening. McClellan is a disabled American ex-boxer left with brain damage after his fight with Nigel Benn 10 years ago - he's partially paralysed, totally blind, & virtually deaf. Top sports stars & celebrities are attending this high-profile fundraising evening for him.
McClellan bred, trained & fought pitbulls all his adult life. 'Training' consisted of him getting dogs, cats & other animals from pet shops & rescue centres & throwing them in with his pitbulls, which he claimed needed to taste blood & kill every day.
The 'rescued' dogs had their muzzles taped shut so they couldn't defend themselves & therefore injure his valuable pitbulls; they also had their paws tied together. Then McClellan would set one of his dogs on them as they lay there defenceless & terrified, unable to get up or run away, unable to cower away from the ferocious attack, unable even to yelp.
Appallingly, McClellan also used to video himself carrying out these atrocities - he enjoyed what he was doing so much that he got actual pleasure from watching it back later on - he called it 'entertainment'. He used to watch the tapes in the dressing room before a fight too, to 'get his blood up'.
Tellingly, his cousin said of him: "Gerald likes killin' things." He also described McClellan as: "A violent, violent, violent, violent, violent man." Scary.
This is the man whom top sports stars & celebrities are going to honour & fawn over on February 24th, with all the Press watching. They're going to hold him up as a hero. Give him a standing ovation. Talk about his dignity and courage. His own website describes him as a 'gallant & noble man' - anyone else feel like vomiting?
I've written to all the papers & got nowhere - no one wants to touch this story, probably because of his disabilities. To me his current health is irrelevant: he's still the same man who tortured & terrified animals until they were dead, still the same man who did it over & over again. Still the same man who videotaped it because he liked watching defenceless animals being torn to pieces while all they could do was squirm in agony & whine in terror.
The Press haven't done anything, nor have other animal welfare groups I've contacted. I'm running out of options. I'm stuck up here in Huddersfield & feel so frustrated. I want something the media will take interest in - I suggested a Name & Shame campaign, but they didn't even go for that. So: are there any groups in London who could organise a demonstration outside the Grosvenor on the benefit night? Most of the people going know about McClellan's past: by attending the event they're condoning his actions & to me should be called to account for that - they're condoning the dog-fights, the animals taken from pet shops and rescue centres thinking they'd got a kind new home, the appalling restraining of the dogs so callously used as 'sparring' for the pitbulls. There are even rumours that he set his dogs on a litter of puppies.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0%2C6903%2C583541%2C00.html - for more details about him.
www.geraldmcclellan.co.uk - contains a constantly updated guest list.
I am totally contactable if anyone wants to PM me about this issue.
If a demo can't be organised, please could as many people as possible write to the Grosvenor House Hotel complaining about the event? Here are a few addresses you might feel like emailing:
mayor@london.gov.uk - Ken Livingstone is trumpeting his Animal Welfare Framework: get him to make it valid!
mirrornews@mirror.co.uk
talkback@the-sun.co.uk
news.desk@express.co.uk
news@dailymail.co.uk
peoplenews@mgn.co.uk
feedback.thebill@thebill.com - cast members on the guest list
claude.abrams@boxingnewsonline.net (put 'Seconds Out' in subject box)
richard.caborn@culture.gsi.gov.uk - Labour sports secretary
The Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London, W1K 7TN
Sorry this is such a long post but I can't tell you how strongly I feel about this. My Dad's spreading the word throughout the Manchester boxing scene & has a lot of respected people on his side, but we can't seem to get anything actually done. We want the event cancelled: McClellan can do what he wants - we just don't want to see him being honoured & feted & no one saying anything about what he's really like.
Cancelled would be great. But to be honest, a demonstration would be even better because it would publicise the whole thing.
Nicky.
McClellan bred, trained & fought pitbulls all his adult life. 'Training' consisted of him getting dogs, cats & other animals from pet shops & rescue centres & throwing them in with his pitbulls, which he claimed needed to taste blood & kill every day.
The 'rescued' dogs had their muzzles taped shut so they couldn't defend themselves & therefore injure his valuable pitbulls; they also had their paws tied together. Then McClellan would set one of his dogs on them as they lay there defenceless & terrified, unable to get up or run away, unable to cower away from the ferocious attack, unable even to yelp.
Appallingly, McClellan also used to video himself carrying out these atrocities - he enjoyed what he was doing so much that he got actual pleasure from watching it back later on - he called it 'entertainment'. He used to watch the tapes in the dressing room before a fight too, to 'get his blood up'.
Tellingly, his cousin said of him: "Gerald likes killin' things." He also described McClellan as: "A violent, violent, violent, violent, violent man." Scary.
This is the man whom top sports stars & celebrities are going to honour & fawn over on February 24th, with all the Press watching. They're going to hold him up as a hero. Give him a standing ovation. Talk about his dignity and courage. His own website describes him as a 'gallant & noble man' - anyone else feel like vomiting?
I've written to all the papers & got nowhere - no one wants to touch this story, probably because of his disabilities. To me his current health is irrelevant: he's still the same man who tortured & terrified animals until they were dead, still the same man who did it over & over again. Still the same man who videotaped it because he liked watching defenceless animals being torn to pieces while all they could do was squirm in agony & whine in terror.
The Press haven't done anything, nor have other animal welfare groups I've contacted. I'm running out of options. I'm stuck up here in Huddersfield & feel so frustrated. I want something the media will take interest in - I suggested a Name & Shame campaign, but they didn't even go for that. So: are there any groups in London who could organise a demonstration outside the Grosvenor on the benefit night? Most of the people going know about McClellan's past: by attending the event they're condoning his actions & to me should be called to account for that - they're condoning the dog-fights, the animals taken from pet shops and rescue centres thinking they'd got a kind new home, the appalling restraining of the dogs so callously used as 'sparring' for the pitbulls. There are even rumours that he set his dogs on a litter of puppies.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0%2C6903%2C583541%2C00.html - for more details about him. www.geraldmcclellan.co.uk - contains a constantly updated guest list.
I am totally contactable if anyone wants to PM me about this issue.
If a demo can't be organised, please could as many people as possible write to the Grosvenor House Hotel complaining about the event? Here are a few addresses you might feel like emailing:
mayor@london.gov.uk - Ken Livingstone is trumpeting his Animal Welfare Framework: get him to make it valid! mirrornews@mirror.co.uk talkback@the-sun.co.uk news.desk@express.co.uk news@dailymail.co.uk peoplenews@mgn.co.uk feedback.thebill@thebill.com - cast members on the guest list claude.abrams@boxingnewsonline.net (put 'Seconds Out' in subject box) richard.caborn@culture.gsi.gov.uk - Labour sports secretary The Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London, W1K 7TN
Sorry this is such a long post but I can't tell you how strongly I feel about this. My Dad's spreading the word throughout the Manchester boxing scene & has a lot of respected people on his side, but we can't seem to get anything actually done. We want the event cancelled: McClellan can do what he wants - we just don't want to see him being honoured & feted & no one saying anything about what he's really like.
Cancelled would be great. But to be honest, a demonstration would be even better because it would publicise the whole thing.
Nicky.
Comments
Hide the following 8 comments
in manchester
23.02.2007 01:05
careful
what celebrities
23.02.2007 10:31
curious
Got what he deserved?
23.02.2007 17:13
If you enjoy thumping consenting adults, then fine, but don't expect sympathy if they thump you back harder, smash your brains in and you end up a cabbage like Mohammed "The Greatest" Ali.
He's only got himself to blame - and if it means he can't torture animals any more, then so much the better.
Gregor Samsa
Stop them!
23.02.2007 18:17
ARA
Hold Fire and Read This re Gerald McClellan.
24.02.2007 07:28
I heard about this story last week and immediately kicked in to campaign against this event taking place. I was on the phone all day backwards and forwards to the Grosvenor House Hotel and eventually tracked down the person promoting the event, the top man. This was Gerald McClellan’s representative in the UK and who knows him and his family personally. He has impressed on me that all the allegations about cruelty to animals or fighting his dogs are an utter falsehood. And you know what; I’m inclined to believe him…
Firstly he was good enough to come to the phone and speak to me, and knew what it was going to be about as soon as I opened my mouth, saying he’s had hundreds of calls and emails about it. He could have been very rude and arrogant and hung up, but he didn’t, just stated his case very reasonably and courteously. If the position were reversed, I would not have entertained the conversation, nor been as pleasant. Especially if I had something to be ashamed of. And that impressed me.
But don’t run away with the idea I was suckered in by good manners or flattery. It was the emphatic denial and reasoning that swayed me. For that reason I’m not going to put the name of the person here in order to respect his privacy and thwart any further ‘hate mail’.
The main comments to refute the allegations included:
1. Yes, Gerald McClellan has kept Pit Bull Terriers, that is undeniable. (I was told he loves the breed, but has never fought his dogs.)
2. There is not one shred of evidence attesting to him participating in dog fighting or cruelty to animals, not one photo has been put into the public domain, not one bona fide person who has made those allegations.
3. The quote attributed to a cousin, saying ‘he’s a violent, violent, violent man who enjoys killing things’ is simply made up, the nameless person is not his cousin. The fact is that boxing is a violent sport, but it is a controlled violence.
4. One of the more ridiculous rumours was that he got hold of some flamingos to bait his dogs, which is the most unlikely scenario considering he lives in Chicago.
5. The general consensus is that this was all started up by comments in a biography and a journalist wanting to ‘sex up’ a story, possibly with the connotation of boxing being a ‘bloodsport’ and dog fighting undeniably so. It’s all just got out of hand. It’s nothing more than a Chinese whisper. The Agent did name the writer, but I can’t remember the name. Quite possibly it is the article attached to your mailing.
That was the gist of it, so if you are mindful to help retract any of the accusations, then please circulate the above with equal fervour! If I’ve misjudged this big time, then I’m sure someone will enlighten me. However I can’t hang someone out to dry on hearsay alone. I will always bow to someone’s better knowledge, but I can only act if I’m shown evidence. And to be fair, as soon as I received this information I emailed back all over the place and to all my contacts in America, requesting copies of any photos or documentation of media coverage on any cruelty allegations or criminal convictions. To date I have had no response, not one single email.
I honestly believe that I/we have acted too hastily purely down to the lack of time before the event takes place. That undue haste likely to have been borne purely out of 12 year old hearsay.
I was informed that things have got so out of control, Gerald McClellan’s sisters, who are his full time carers, are getting abuse and threats and are now frightened of coming over here as they are fearful of attack. If this is all untrue, then that’s undeserved and those energies would be best leveled at those who are guilty as charged. And believe me, there are vile people I know of personally who are in our midst, that are dog fighters getting away with it scot free because the authorities won’t step in.
I have taken a step back from the Gerald McClellan saga and I would urge everyone else to do the same. My conscience is clear because what I did up till that point was done with the best of intentions, which was graciously acknowledged. The same applies to anyone reading this who does the same.
At the end of my lengthy conversation with the Agent he remarked that it’s a good thing that people care so much about the dogs, because they can’t speak up for themselves. Very true.
So let us assume for a moment, hypothetically, everything that’s been said is actually true? Not one of us knows for sure and I’m only putting the other side of the story. But if it’s true, at the end of the day, Gerald McClellan is wheelchair bound, brain damaged, deaf and almost totally blind, living in poverty and dependant on his sisters for every basic bodily need. If this is karma and he’s being punished, then retribution doesn’t get much worse. From where he is now he can’t do anything to harm animals, so wouldn’t those of us for whom animals are a passion be better served by curtailing current abusers? It’s just a thought, but now the tables are turned and Gerald McClellan is so vulnerable himself, doesn’t it smack of just the sort of cruelty we claim to abhor if we continue to torment him?
It seems to me that Gerald McClellan has been labeled a violent thug, just the same as the Pit Bull Terrier is branded a ‘Devil Dog’. The first batch of cases are in Court in Liverpool on Tuesday (Feb 27) and my fellow campaigners are going up to Liverpool for a couple of days, giving their time and legal advice freely and at their own expense, to help advise those owners, who thankfully weren’t coerced into signing their dogs away under the so called ‘Amnesty’!
The Court is booked for the whole day just to try to kill peoples pets, while the same fraudsters with their dog fighting histories (who should really be the ones answering for their crimes!) are yet again jumping on the bandwagon to accrue funds for their bogus ‘Helplines’. My time would have been better spent the past week trying to spread the word on what people need to do to save their dogs, while hopefully preventing them from being conned by the ne’re-do-well’s and their feigned sympathy! But I couldn’t sit back and not try to make amends for what I consider to have been my error of judgement in perpetuating the campaign against Gerald McClellan.
Meanwhile say a prayer for the dogs of Liverpool and their loving families, this could be the benchmark for the others that have been seized all over the country, a vendetta which should be made to go away as quickly as possible.
Thank you for reading this submission, I’d welcome any comments anyone would like to make on what I’ve written here.
Janet
Gerald McClellan deserves severe punishment if he abused these pets as reported
24.02.2007 22:42
If the story in the Observer about Gerald McClellan hadn't been true he would have sued the newspaper but he didn't. The abuse reported there is so sadistic and anyone who deliberately causes animals to suffer fear and pain, or if they film pets having terrible pain inflicted is more evil.
Read about Gerald McClellan
Scum Major Ken Livingstone didn't want to help pets being mutilated, he just seems to keep his political power.
(Ken LIvingstone is not an animal lover - he also had pigeons inhumanely removed from Trafalgar Square in London.)
HIS COUSIN SAID GERALD MCCLELLAN HURTS CATS AND DOGS
From the Observer newspaper article
Read the article
"
This is how Stan saw Gerald and the whole dog thing: 'So he got this black Labrador, just went to the dog shop, told the man, "I need a dog to take care of, I'll take this Labrador home," and the man say to the dog, "Yeah, you got a good home now," and Gerald takes the dog home. He takes the dog down his basement and tapes the Labrador's mouth, takes his pit bull Deuce and says "Get him!" He lets Deuce start eatin' the dog up while he's timing it on a watch, see how long it would take his dog to kill this dog. And I said to Gerald, "Hey, Gerald, this Labrador wouldn't beat Deuce, no way, so why did you tape his mouth shut?" And he said, "Coz I just wanna see how fast my dog would kill him, for one, and, for two, my dog's a championship fighter and you don't need no dog scratched up and bit up by no dog, by no accident. This is like sparrin' for my dog, this is like my dog need to taste blood every day. My dog need to kill somethin' every day, Stan. Just like a fighter need to spar every day, he don't need nobody bustin' him up when he got a big fight comin' up. He just need to bust somethin' up hisself. Right?"'
"
"
'His whole life was about fightin' and all, pit bull dogs, he pay lotsa money on dog fights, he took money from his fights and he bet. It weren't nothin' him go down the projects in Chicago and bet $10,000 his dog beat your dog. And a bunch o' gang bangers with guns and drugs all come down to watch...'
Donnie Penelton, the Black Battle Cat, he remembers the dogs. He was there too on those dark nights.
"
A boxing promoter that could make money wouldn't admit to that abuse. Gerald McClellan should take an independent lie detector test.
Pets love unconditionally. Only a monster tortures animals.
There are disabled people more worthy of help than Gerald McClellan.
If he's abused and murdered pets, then everyone who donated should ask for their money back. If you're not part of the solution, you're the problem. Anyone giving money to an abuser is an abuser.
I've seen a lot of abuse of pets by Americans in public tax funded kill shelters. Many are not animal shelters they are places where animals are neglected or abused and are killed within a few days. There are severely abused and neglected pet cats and pet dogs who are the minority of lucky ones to have been rescued. Most healthy pets are also killed in Americas kill shelters.
It is common for pets to be severely abused and killed in America.
Save A Pet says 7 million cats and dogs are killed by Americans every year.
America is a nation where most of them don't care about animal welfare.
I's a horror show for millions of pets in America the richest country in the world. The USA has chain dogs where these pack animals are chained in gardens all day and left out in the cold. Animal control shelters are mad and pick up cats that could be someone's pet and they kill them within a few days. And they kill the dogs in a few days. America is mostly a barbaric inhumane nation so it's not surprising if an abuser of animals such as Gerald McClellan could get away with torturing pets.
There are a few people that really love animals and adopt pets and rescue.
Petfinder forum owner Betsy does not allow much criticism of American animal abusers, this forum is censored
They hide much of the cruelty that animals suffer in the US.
The United States of America is so inhumane that they kill many pets in inhumane gas chambers. It is legal for American county government kill shelters and so-called humane society kill shelters to gas animals to death.
Gas chamber killings in America
Mahatma Gandhi "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
America is evil and uncivilised in its mass murders of millions of lovable, healthy pets every year. In 10 years the USA kills as many homeless pets as the population of the United Kingdom (UK).
Do NOT donate to PETA, because their donations are being used to kill healthy animals, Peta are sick and kill animals
Help Homeless Animals
Do not breed or buy while homeless pets die. Do not buy from breeders, pet shops or puppy mills. There are more pets than humans willing to give these loving creatures homes. And more kind people are need to give cats and dogs homes and to sponsor animal welfare charities.
Adopt and look after homeless pets.
Help No Kill Now.
Do not let American owned PETA kill any more animals, PETA are evil.
Protect pets from human abusers and human murderers.
Help save animals lives contact Best Friends and Pasado Safe Haven to help homeless pets
* Homeless Pets Foundation, Georgia
* Best Friends Animal Society, Utah
* Pasado’s Safe Haven, Washington
Pasado Pasados
Please look after animals especially homeless cats and dogs, and humanely help to stop animals suffering. Adopt, foster, rescue, sponsor and campaign for these sentient, feeling, loving beings to have rights and care.
Do not neglect, abuse, or murder pets
Protect innocent Pitbull dogs and other animal
Do not let anyone hurt these dogs, Pit Bull Dogs are loving if they're shown love
"Talk is Cheap",
Prayer of Saint Francis
Prayer of St Francis
"Luther and Friends" Luther shows how Pitbulls in loving families really are
REMEMBER ANIMALS AND PROTECT THEM
These healthy, loving family pets were all killed in American kill shelters, most died very young and had so much love
Campaign to stop America doing this to animals
Remember the innocent victims of the US kill shelters
Do not allow anyone to abuse animals
Protect Animals from Abusers
You may be right....
25.02.2007 16:05
"I would like to retract my letter re: Gerald McClellan Due uncertainty regarding facts.
Thank you,"
ARA
Gerald McClellan's agent and Kevin Mitchell of Observer Sunday Sport
25.02.2007 18:59
In the Observer Sunday Sport article by Kevin Mitchell, about Gerald McClellan the boxer, and accused abuser of animlas quotes Stan Johnson saying Gerald McClellan caused extreme pain and hurt to helpless, loving animals. Gerald McClellan deserves punishment every day to match his crimes against these creatures, if he's done this.
Why didn't Gerald McClellan sue the Sunday Oberver when they said he abuses pets?
There are lots of stories about Stan Johnson coaching Gerald McClellan, so the agent that publicizes and makes money for McClellan could be a liar! The boxing agent should be punished if he lied about an abuser of pets.
Gerald McClellan should take an independent lie detector test about whether he has tortured and caused the deaths of a defenceless, innocent, loving cat or dog. If he has harmed pets, he should return all the money donated.
If you want to help prevent abuse of Pit Bulls, please suport animal rescues.
You can sponsor a pet, or adopt or foster dogs and cats.
America abuses and kills so many animals every day that only 1 in 600 Pitbulls born, ever finds a permanent home. Americans kill healthy, loving dogs and cats every 2 seconds.
Do NOT breed or buy while homeless cats and dogs die.
Adopt a homeless animal, give a homeless pet a foster home, and sponsor pet rescues.
Please see Loving Pitbulls
Protect Pitbulls, give a homeless Pitbull dog a loving home
Do NOT allow anyone to harm animals, Pit Bulls suffer the worst cruelty in the hands of evil humans. See what happens to these lovable Pit Bull dogs
PIT BULL RESCUE CENTRAL
PBRC, sponsor pets and save lives www.pbrc.net/organizations.html
Breed Specific Legislation is immoral, STOP BSL
Please protect all animals.
Protect and love Pit Bull dogs.
Watch the VIDEO of these Beautiful innocent animals
Protect Animal From Abusers