Man who fed puppy to snake to undergo evaluation

The Glendale man who confessed to coating a puppy in oil and then feeding it to his pet snake will have to undergo psychological testing before he's sentenced.

Joseph E. Beadle, 40, was arrested in June after he fed a 3-week-old puppy to his malnourished boa constrictor as two 15-year-old boys watched. According to reports, Beadle coated the mixed-breed puppy in cooking oil to make it "easier to swallow."

An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday after Beadle failed to show up for sentencing on his guilty plea to an animal cruelty charge.

Beadle said he didn't show up because he had car trouble.

Beadle turned himself in this morning and bond was set at $5,000.

Judge Frank Johnson ordered a psychological evaluation on Beadle before he's sentenced, saying he wants to get to the root of why he would feed a live puppy to his pet boa constrictor in front of two boys.

Beadle is facing up to a year in jail and a $150,000 fine.

The judge set Beadle's next sentencing date for May 29.

The Humane Society is pleased with the judge's actions.

"I think the judge was absolutely correct and I applaud him because I think that his comments that we need to get to the root of the problem to find out why he carried out this abhorrent behavior are absolutely correct, so I think it was the right decision," said Kim Noetzel with the Arizona Humane Society.

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Why is it any different to feed a puppy to a snake than a mouse/rat/rabbit? Snakes do eat small and fluffy...maybe I'm too cold hearted?

Hey,
I personally am a Dog lover and would NEVER feed my snake a puppy!

I don't believe anyone should have the right to say what you can or can't feed your animal. Guinea Pigs, Rabbits, Hamsters...dogs, or cats.
Again, I personally disagree with this and am saddened to think of the puppy. I am sure the majority of Americans feel the same. That should not give the majority the right to legislate what is legal for the minority.
Cats and Dogs are domesticated animals, but not endangered or protected. If it was his puppy and his snake it should be his business. Now why he had the 2 teens watch, thats between him and their parents.
What kind of culture is it that protects puppies, and allows young girls to have abortions without parental consent or at all? How is it that a 3wk old dog has more of a right to life than an unborn human baby? Just my Opinion!
Rob

I have lots of large boas that i feed rabbits, rats etc. but a dog is where i draw the line.

I would like to make it clear that I personally would not do this. I do not own large snakes because I could not stomach feeding it a rabbit.

I think it is horrible that people put some animals over another. To some people a large boa is part of the family much like a large St. Bernard. It needs to eat just like a dog. Granted, he could have chosen to feed it a rat or a rabbit instead, but that could cause just as much of a stir with those people who have rats/rabbits on pedastals. So many people think it's horrible to feed reptiles other animals, but they should take a look at their dog/cat food and realize they too are feeding their pets another animal-just in a different form.

There is nothing wrong with this, I personally believe the 2 kids asked to watch, as that is something typical of kids and teenagers. I am happy to read that they are more focused as to why he let the kids watch rather than why he fed a puppy to his snake. Its the food chain, while we have to re-create it in captivity, this happens all the time.
Would I do this? Hard to say, I personally like bunnies more than puppies and would readily feed a bunny to a large boa. I will probably be flamed for this, but if I had a malnourished boa and a puppy I didnt want, then the answer is obvious.

How is that so much worse than a poor puppy going unwanted or being mistreated for however long before finally getting put down after being "saved" by the humane society? I wouldn't be able to do it myself (not with a rabbit, either), but I don't see that as any worse than people who get a puppy then have to have it put down because it's too much trouble to take care of it... and that happens all the time.