Until May of this year, intentional cruelty against an animal was legally regarded as a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of only $250 and/or six months in prison. Now, thanks to ceaseless efforts by WHS and our supporters, such acts of cruelty may be tried as felonies with penalties up to $25,000 and/or five years in prison.

Ginger’s Story: The morning after a violent storm, a neighbor saw the small shivering, cream-colored puppy in an unsheltered wire cage, and called WHS. She reported that Ginger had been kept in the cage 24 hours a day, and never seemed to have food or water.

Our Humane Law Enforcement Officer found Ginger with bulging eyes. The puppy went into convulsions every two minutes, and whimpered and cried in between. The officer rushed Ginger to the vet, who diagnosed her with hypoglycemia from prolonged exposure and lack of food and water. Blinded by her condition, she went into a coma shortly after arriving at the animal hospital.

With several days of careful treatment, Ginger’s seizures stopped. Thanks to the care she received, her sight was eventually restored and she became active and alert. But Ginger’s medical bills totaled over $1,200 — and the family who had neglected her certainly weren’t going to pay. As for thousands of animals before her, WHS covered her treatment and sheltered her during recovery.