John,
Winter is here and dogs are being left outside to freeze. Just weeks ago, a German Shepherd in New York named Zoe was left chained outside in the cold with no food, no water, and only a plastic crate for shelter. Emaciated and distressed, Zoe chewed off her own leg.
This is animal cruelty, plain and simple — and it won’t be the only case this winter. John, your urgent first membership gift now will help us fight for justice for animals like Zoe who are neglected or abused — and protect others from being left to suffer or die in the cold.
Every year, the Animal Legal Defense Fund is contacted about neglect cases like this — cases of animals being found chained up outside in freezing temperatures, no food, water or warm shelter in sight. Many of them being found only after it was too late — they’d already froze to death.
Your support means that we have the necessary resources in place to answer these calls for help and ensure that abusers are held responsible.
When a dog named Oscar was left outside in Baltimore in 20-degree weather, his owner, Selvin Gnanakkan, claimed the dog died of old age. Funds from our donors helped us pay for forensic work that proved Oscar suffered and died of hypothermia — a victim of criminal neglect. This crucial evidence was used to successfully prosecute Gnanakkan, including a three-year ban on owning animals.
Your contribution now will allow us to work with local police and prosecutors to get neglected and abused animals the justice they deserve — and you’ll help us proactively alert communities to the fact that allowing animals to suffer in the cold is not only unconscionable, it’s a crime.
