Arrest made in frozen dog case – will this be the impetus to change PA’s animal cruelty law?

Last week, a young tan and black dog was found frozen to death in this crate turned upside down submerged in snow in Tioga County, PA. A necrospy performed by veterinarian Alaire Smith-Miller showed the dog died “due to probably starvation over a period of time.”

The man who left this dog named Charlie to die in this unthinkable crime is Matthew Stone of Elkland, PA. According to Pennsylvania Sate Police, Stone has been charged  with animal cruelty, which is a misdemeanor, and other offenses.

Mr. Stone admitted to abandoning the dog in the crate on October 3rd, 2013. He claims he placed the crate 20 feet off of a road in Farmington Township. He thought a driver would see him and rescue him. The dog was found 100 feet away from the road.

Charlie belonged to Joshua Stone, brother of the suspect. Matthew Stone said his brother, Joshua, was working out of town and “did not want the dogs” and told him to get rid of them, according to the complaint. In the complaint, it was mentioned that multiple dogs were involved but no further information has been provided.

Stone said he couldn’t afford to keep the dogs and had to get rid of them. He said the dog was still alive when he dropped it off on Oct. 3 inside the locked plastic crate, according to the complaint.

When Charlie was first found by the woman, a facebook page was created to seek answers to what happened to the dog. The dog was named “Elsa” prior to knowing the true name of the dog. His FB page was known as “Justice for Elsa” and has since been changed to Justice for Charlie.

For me and countless animal advocates, not only is it upsetting to hear the manner in which Charlie perished but the fact his death only warrants a misdemeanor.

I have repeatedly stated that Pennsylvania needs stronger laws with stiffer penalties regarding animal cruelty. When I began working at a shelter in 2000, I asked why people were only getting a slap on the wrist and small pittance of a fine for abusing and killing animals. I was told that’s the way it is in this state. It is rare if someone gets a jail sentence. At the time, I was told a maximum sentence would be 90 days but it didn’t happen.

Not only are stronger penalties needed but they must be executed for them to be effective.

We are now in the year 2014 and Pennsylvania still has some of the weakest animal cruelty laws in the nation. Perhaps, this will be the year when more rigid cruelty laws are enacted.

This sentiment is the hope of Centre County District Attorney, Stacy Parks Miller. She intends to lobby the state legislature this year for tougher animal cruelty laws.

Parks Miller says she will make a case to the Generally Assembly that the approval of animal cruelty legislation is necessary, including Angel’s Law. Angel’s Law would institute harsher penalties for those who abuse or neglect household pets. Angel’s Law was introduced by state Rep. Dom Costa introduced the last two years.

“I support Angel’s Law because cruelty offenses in Pennsylvania are equivalent to a traffic ticket, a summary offense,” says Parks Miller. “You can starve your dog or domestic animal to death, tie it to a chain and let it freeze to death, both painful and horrific, and only get a ticket. I have dealt with these cases and they are heartbreaking.”

“This legislation amends the Pennsylvania Crimes Code to increase the grading for all animal cruelty summary offenses to third-degree misdemeanors.” “The bill increases the grading for the offense of killing, maiming or disfiguring a domestic animal from a second-degree misdemeanor to a first-degree misdemeanor.”

Subsequent offenses for killing, maiming or disfiguring a domestic animal would result in a third-degree felony charge.

“By increasing summary offenses to misdemeanor offenses, I believe we can better ensure that all offenders are processed through the criminal justice system in a way that will enable us to properly monitor animal cruelty perpetrators in the Commonwealth,” Costa, the bill’s sponsor, said in a statement after introducing the bill.

Parks Miller also wants to see Pennsylvania recognize aggravated animal cruelty as a separate offense. She said a major disappointment is the “lack of an aggravated cruelty statute to obtain a felony for torture of an animal on the first arrest.

It is about time that our laws change to better protect animals and have the appropriate charges filed against those who violate and posses a total disregard for animal welfare.

Advocates have been outraged over the misdemeanor charge in Charlie’s murder and want tougher laws. Hopefully, shocking death of Charlie will be the impetus for our legislators to change our laws.