A national animal rights group has has become involved in litigation regarding an ISU professor of zoology.

Members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have asked in a letter to Assistant Story County Attorney Dan Rothman that Joseph Viles, associate professor of zoology and genetics, be treated as “a serial animal abuser with little or no regard for the lives and suffering of animals in his care.”

On July 8, Viles was in court facing animal neglect charges. While in court, he allegedly left two dogs chained together in his car with no food or water available to them. The temperature that day reached 85 degrees.

A trial date has not been set for the charges incurred in the Story County court parking lot.

Martin Mersereau, cruelty case worker for PETA, said public outrage and repeat offenses alerted the organization to Viles.

“We get involved in every [cruelty or neglect case] that comes our way, especially when the alleged abuser is reportedly a repeat offender,”Mersereau said.

Mersereau said he believes a letter to the attorney will suffice in this case because “we have no reason to believe the prosecutors won’t aggressively pursue this if the allegations against Professor Viles are accurate.”

“If these allegations are true, we’re especially concerned for the poor example he may be setting his students in the zoology department,” Mersereau said.

“If found guilty, he needs to be heavily fined and prohibited from owning or harboring animals in the future.”

In the case of conviction, all animals currently in his custody should be seized, he said.

Viles has been instructed by his attorney not to speak about the charges before his upcoming trial.

While Rothman cannot discuss his recommendations regarding sentencing, he said an individual’s history can be considered.

“Between 1995 and 1999, we had at one time or another filed 30 different charges against [Viles],” said Judy Parks, Ames city attorney.

Roughly half of these charges resulted in guilty verdicts and fines ranging from $50 to $500.

Rothman said in cases of a simple misdemeanor, sentencing is based on Iowa law and the offender can face fines and/or up to 30 days of jail time.

A 1999 court order prohibited Viles from keeping dogs at his home.

This order was “with the single exception of one older female dog that was in ill health,” Parks said.

Viles will appear in court on unrelated animal neglect charges at 3 p.m. Sept. 3.

Lorna Lavender, animal control supervisor for the Ames animal shelter and animal control, said this trial is a result of the allegation that “Viles was seen repeatedly beating his dog in

Ames, while in a vehicle with the dog.”

She said this incident occurred near the Welch Avenue fire station.

Lavender said the situation with Viles has a unique history.

“In part, the cases with Mr. Viles led to some needed ordinance changes within the city of Ames,” she said. “It put a cap on the number of times a person could be fined with violations of municipal animal code and essentially led to a `three strikes and you’re out’ policy.”

Lavender said at that point, animal control or the city could request the individual not be allowed to keep animals within the city limits.