How the animal abuse bill recently passed by the US House affects local humane efforts

HAMILTON, Ohio (WKRC) - The United States House of Representatives can agree on something: Abusing animals is not tolerated. The House unanimously passed a bipartisan bill that toughens laws against animal abusers.

Right now, it's only a federal crime to tape animals being abused. The PACT Act, or Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture, makes the actual abuse a felony.

The latest dog picked up by the Butler County dog warden weighs half her normal weight.

"She was found, I believe, running loose in the city of Hamilton over on Knightsbridge. She was wearing a t-shirt that was covering her body," said Tara Bowser, the executive director for Animal Friends Humane Society.

The pit-mix weighs just 30 pounds.

"It's happening way too often in our community," said Bowser.

Now, the dog is being fed and kept safe by the Animal Friends Humane Society. They are looking for the dog's owner.

On Tuesday, a 1-year-old Rottweiler mix named Dollar was found starving, living in his own urine and feces. Police do know his owner is Zichang Li; she is charged with a misdemeanor.

"When we have cases like this and we can find an owner and prosecute them, unfortunately it's a slap on the wrist," said Bowser.

The PACT Act would change that. It would make violence towards animals a federal felony, carrying fines and a potential seven-year stay in prison.

"This is a great day for people in the United States," said Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones.

Jones supports the act 100%.

"When animals are abused, it makes us sick, and it makes us very angry," he said.

He said the PACT Act protects people too.

"People who start out -- especially young people -- they start abusing animals, they move onto people," said Jones.

The sheriff said the next step is stiffening punishments in Ohio.

"You can either take them state or you can take them federally. It gives the prosecutors options. Options are a good thing, and it gives the judges options. If you want to abuse animals, you can't do them in this country," said Jones.

Jones is working on the revision for Ohio's current animal cruelty law, Goddard's Law.

Right now, it is a fifth-degree felony to abuse a companion animal. The revision would bump that up to a third-degree felony, and the charge could not be removed from your record.

The PACT Act needs to be approved by the Senate and then signed by the president.

efforts