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Anti-Cruelty Advocates Push For Penalties

Julie Robert with the animal advocacy group, Peace for Paws, says Ohio’s current laws on animal cruelty are too weak.

"It's just a misdemeanor charge, just a slap on the wrist. This is just not acceptable. If it is a felony charge, it would give us the opportunity to track these people. These are… you know, it’s been proven again and again, people who abuse animals also abuse humans. So, this would just give another way to track, to track these criminals.”

The sponsor of the bill, Democratic State Representative Ron Gerberry, says the bill was narrowly defeated by the last general assembly. He says changes have been made to make the bill favorable to those who opposed it last time around. The bill is not scheduled to be heard by lawmakers at this point.