Target: Karen A. Heggen, District Attorney of Saratoga County, New York
Goal: Seek the toughest felony sentence, stiff monetary fines, and a lifelong animal-ownership ban for the daycare owner accused of leaving a French bulldog to die in extreme heat and mistreating additional dogs.
A small French bulldog named Gus was reportedly locked inside a dog-daycare facility and left to endure sweltering temperatures until he died. The daycare’s owner faces charges under New York’s Buster’s Law, the state’s felony animal-cruelty statute, after Gus’ lifeless body was reportedly discovered. Investigators also allegedly documented additional dogs living in filthy, overheated conditions with minimal care.
Community outrage has surged as details emerge about this apparent act of lethal neglect. According to state senator and animal-welfare advocate Jim Tedisco, the daycare’s environment allegedly amounted to a “murder” scene for Gus while other animals were exposed to life-threatening heat and deprivation. Tedisco is now pushing to double existing penalties—from two to four years in prison and from US $5,000 to US $10,000 in fines—and to create a statewide registry barring convicted abusers from ever owning pets again.
Immediate, decisive prosecution is crucial to honor Gus’ memory and protect all companion animals from similar suspected cruelty. A forceful legal response will show that intentionally causing such suffering carries severe consequences and will reinforce the push for stronger animal-protection laws across the state. Sign below to demand District Attorney Heggen pursue the maximum sentence and request a permanent prohibition on the defendant’s contact with animals.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear District Attorney Heggen,
The heartbreaking death of a French bulldog named Gus, who was reportedly left to perish in stifling heat at a dog-daycare facility, has horrified residents and animal advocates statewide. Reports further allege that other dogs housed there were confined in dangerously hot, unsanitary conditions that could have led to additional fatalities.
These allegations, if proven, represent a blatant violation of Buster’s Law and a profound betrayal of basic humane standards. Allowing an animal to languish in extreme heat until death is an act of severe cruelty that demands the sternest punishment the law allows.
We respectfully urge your office to pursue the maximum felony penalties—extended incarceration, the highest permissible fines, and full restitution for veterinary costs. We also ask that you seek a lifetime ban on animal ownership and mandatory psychological evaluation for the accused. Taking these steps will deliver justice for Gus, safeguard other animals, and deter future acts of cruelty in our community.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Dmitry Kalinin
