Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Sheriff puts spotlight fighting animal abuse
Sheriff Carolyn “Bunny” Welsh participated in a national initiative aimed at preventing animal cruelty.
WEST CHESTER >> Sheriff Carolyn “Bunny” Welsh said she was pleased and honored to be included in the Softie Cops 2019 calendar, an initiative of the National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse (NLECAA) and the National Coalition on Violence Against Animals (NCOVAA).
Welsh, a lifelong animal advocate, serves as national co-chair of NCOVAA. She is also on the advisory board of NLECAA. The shared mission of both organizations is to provide resources aimed at preventing animal cruelty.
The agencies hope that the pairing of some of the nation’s top law enforcers with animals in need will encourage others to go above and beyond to protect animals. Welsh said the dogs and cats used in the calendar were all rescues, many of whom were adopted as a result of the promotion.
Welsh got teamed with Dante, a dog with a sweet disposition and impaired vision from cataracts. “Dante was a delight to work with,” said Welsh. “Despite his advanced age and blindness, he had a lot of energy and spirit. The initial promotion on Facebook prompted numerous calls from people interested in giving him a home.”
She applauded the efforts of NCOVVA and NLECAA. She explained that the organizations work with sheriff’s offices, police departments and all law enforcement agencies throughout the country.
“Statistics show that people, even children, who abuse animals will often end up engaging in violence against other people,” Welsh said. “By helping law enforcement identify animal abusers early, we can intervene in an effort to prevent other crimes.”
For more information on the calendars, visit https:// w w w.sheriffs.org/show yoursoftside.