Exciting victory for animals in Ohio!
In a landmark decision, the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that all cats and dogs — whether or not they have guardians — are protected under the state's felony animal cruelty laws.
This decision comes after a Cleveland incident involving an 8-month-old stray kitten.
A man heartlessly poured bleach into a basement stairwell to try to get the kitten to leave his apartment building. Police found the tiny kitten suffering from red, swollen paws caused by the bleach and charged the man, Alonzo Kyles, with felony cruelty.
The officers took the cat to West Park Animal Hospital for treatment.
Kyles' attorneys argued that because the kitten was a stray, Kyles should face only a misdemeanor.
Fortunately, the Ohio Supreme Court disagreed! Their decision stated that all cats and dogs, regardless of whether they have homes, are “companion animals” protected under the state's stricter animal cruelty laws.
Kyles was sentenced to 9 months in prison.
This is a step forward in holding abusers accountable and extending compassion to all animals.
At 600MillionDogs, we’re driven by the same commitment to defend vulnerable animals from suffering. That’s why our mission is to end the #1 cause of suffering and death for dogs and cats -- overpopulation -- by developing a permanent-lasting birth control cookie that will only need to be eaten one time, and it will in effect spay or neuter -- without surgery.
Help end the number 1 cause of suffering for dogs and cats ... for as little as $5 a month.
Thank you so much for caring about animals!
Sources:
Comments