Target: Joanna McClinton, Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Goal: Require reporting of animal cruelty and psychiatric evaluations for convicted abusers.
Two disturbing cases in Pennsylvania demonstrate how animals are often vulnerable targets for angry humans. The first, out of Bucks County, unfolded when a man reportedly confessed to beating his two pet beagle mix dogs for several hours. More horrifically still, the man also apparently admitted to stabbing his pets until they died. The suspect, George Gooch Ash, blamed his alleged crimes on having a bad experience during a nursing home visit earlier in the day. He has been charged with two counts of animal cruelty and could face several years in prison.
The second incident took place in Harrisburg, where a suspect has also been charged with aggravated animal cruelty. This man allegedly beat a neighbor’s pet dog so badly that the animal’s spine was broken and her skull cracked. Tragically, the dog – Roxy – had to be euthanized.
In at least one of these cases, the suspect is undergoing psychiatric treatment. Some states mandate psychiatric evaluations for abusers and further mandate therapists or other social service providers to report suspected instances of animal cruelty. Pennsylvania is not one of these states.
Sign the petition below to urge an amendment to cruelty laws that could prevent more needless acts of violence against at-risk animals.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Representative McClinton,
Pennsylvania has some of the strongest and most detailed animal cruelty statutes in the nation. Yet a key oversight is allowing too many cases to slip through the cracks. Within the state, no one – from mental health therapists to veterinary professionals – is obligated to report instances of animal cruelty.
Mandatory reporting laws have long been used to protect vulnerable children. And in the states where robust animal cruelty mandatory reporting laws do exist, the statutes provide a key layer of prevention. If such a statute were in place in Pennsylvania, the lives of Shyla and Blakes – two beagle mixes allegedly beaten and stabbed to death by their owner – might have been saved. And if such a statute were added to existing laws, countless animals could be saved in the future. Furthermore, making court-ordered psychiatric evaluations for animal abusers mandatory rather than discretionary could serve as another legal shield for at-risk living beings.
Please close gaps that are hurting Pennsylvania’s status as a strong combatant of animal cruelty.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Ramon Karolan
Animal cruelty is horrific and must never be tolerated. Please take whatever measures are necessary to prevent further atrocities like those stated in this petition and others to follow.
I don’t care how mad you are, abusing your animal is never ok. As far as the neighbor that beat the dog – if that were my dog he basically killed the last thing he would need to worry about is a psychiatric eval- he would definitely need to worry about my state of mind – I don’t think the monster would ever make it to the eval.
IF anyone came into our fenced in yard on our property and laid a finger on our dogs our state has laws about that. It is illegal and you can shoot them. I would never hesitate to shoot a dangerous intruder on my property. It’s called Stand Your Ground and it protects you from harm on your property, not just inside of your house. We have tall six foot privacy fences around our yard and if anyone tried to get past them to hurt an animal then it would be considered a break in to our property and they take their chances with my nine mm then.
I don’t care what kind of day you’re having, using an animal to take out your frustration is NEVER ok. People who do this are sick and depraved.