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Killing of alpaca spurs teen to action

Community rallies against a "senseless act of violence"

Madison High School senior Cole Fennel, 18, decided to step up and help raise money for Madison Twp. couple who lost their 3-month-old alpaca, Masterpiece, in a case of animal cruelty.

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By Marie Rossiter, Staff Writer Updated 8:23 AM Wednesday, March 3, 2010

MADISON TWP. — A simple online request from a Madison High School senior has become a call to action for a community outraged by a recent case of animal cruelty.

Cole Fennel, 18, sent out a request last weekend on a community Web forum, MainStreetMadison.com, asking for help to raise money for Jeff Pergrem and Rebecca Hardin, who lost their 3-month-old baby alpaca, Masterpiece, as a result of a brutal beating.

It didn’t take long for Fennel to realize that his request had mushroomed into an all-out movement to show the township’s unity against what residents are calling a “senseless act of violence.”

“It’s just very disturbing that something like this could happen here,” Fennel said. “It bothered me, and I just never expected anything like this.”

Two 17-year-old boys and Stacie Mullins, 22, are facing felony charges accusing them of theft and beating the alpaca to death, according to Butler County Sheriff’s detectives.

Seeing Madison Twp. in what he called “a negative spotlight” was another motivation for Fennel to step up and offer assistance.

“There are so many good things going on here with our (undefeated boys and girls) basketball teams and everything,” he said. “I hope we can take something that is negative and turn it around into a positive.”

Fundraising ideas are still in the early stages, but Fennel said he is working with a local company to design T-shirts that read, “Madison’s Masterpiece,” to sell at local events.

Another possible idea may involve taking a percentage from local organizations’ fish fry sales, but Fennel said the speed at which things are happening has been a little overwhelming.

He is asking anyone with other fundraising ideas or donations to contact him at ccfennel@yahoo.com

Replacing the alpaca could cost up to $8,000, according to Fennel, who received a letter from Pergrem and Hardin thanking him for his concern and initial efforts. That goal may be too high to reach, Fennel said, but that won’t stop him.

“We may not be able to replace the emotions of losing Masterpiece, but we can let them know the community cares,” he said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2551  or mrossiter@coxohio.com.

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