You may remember Bella’s story. She was an 11-year-old shepherd mix from New York, and her abuser beat her so severely with a shovel that she had to be euthanized.
New York prosecutors pursued the maximum sentence for this crime, which included a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals. But Bella’s abuser was sentenced to just four months in county jail.
As long as animals like Bella are treated as mere property under the law, abusers will continue to escape with a little slap on the wrist. We are fighting right now to strengthen animal cruelty laws in New York — and other states across the country — so that animal victims like Bella get the justice they deserve. Because four months in county jail is not justice! But we’re going to need your help to see it through.
