Montco ranks 3rd for animal cruelty
Four years since new state law took effect, more than 25,000 animal abuse offenses recorded
HARRISBURG >> Montgomery County ranks among the Top 10 counties that recorded the highest number of animal abuse cases since a state anticruelty law known as Libre’s Law strengthened the protection of animals and went into effect in 2017, according to statistics compiled by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
Montgomery County Court officials recorded a total of 210 animal abuse cases during the period between August 2017 and December 2020, representing about 3.38% of the 6,210 total cases filed in courts statewide, according to the state data.
Specifically, Montgomery County courts recorded 127 cases of neglect of animals, 67 cases of cruelty to animals and 16 cases of aggravated cruelty to animals during the period Aug. 27, 2017, to Dec. 31, 2020.
The data included animal abuse cases recorded by the Magisterial District Judge System and the Common Pleas Court Case Management System.
Essentially, Montgomery County ranked third in the state in the number of animal abuse cases filed, behind Allegheny County, which ranked first, and Bucks County, which ranked second.
Allegheny County recorded at total of 914 cases of animal abuse from 2017 to 2020, representing 14.72% of the cases filed statewide. Bucks County recorded a total of 334 animal abuse cases, representing about 5.38% of the total cases filed statewide, according to the state data.
Other counties rounding out the Top 10 for the highest number of animal abuse cases between 2017 and 2020 included: Somerset (188 cases); Westmoreland (184 cases); Lackawanna (182 cases); Fayette (176 cases); Delaware (171 cases);
Essentially, Montgomery County ranked third in the state in the number of animal abuse cases filed, behind Allegheny County, which ranked first, and Bucks County, which ranked second.
York (171 cases); and Luzerne (166 cases).
The AOPC highlights the work of the courts with data and statistics obtained through the judiciary’s case management systems, interactive dashboards and other research.
The AOPC compiles the data but does not interpret it.
Other area counties reported the following number of animal abuse cases during the reporting period: Berks (39 cases); Lehigh (122 cases); Chester (129 cases); and Philadelphia (164 cases).
The state court analysis found that 53% of defendants in animal abuse cases were male and 25% of defendants were between the ages of 46 and 65.
Libre’s Law, the anticruelty law known as Act 10, which strengthened the protection of animals, went into effect Aug. 28, 2017. Some of the changes to Pennsylvania’s previous animal cruelty laws included stricter tethering regulations, harsher penalties for certain animal abuse offenses and the requirement that anyone convicted of an animal abuse offense forfeit their animals, according to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
Officials said the law was inspired by a Boston terrier puppy that was found badly neglected and abused in Lancaster County.
Nearly four years since the law took effect, more than 25,000 animal abuse offenses have been filed statewide — 54% of which were for neglect of an animal, according to the AOPC data.
Under Libre’s Law, a dog cannot be tethered for longer than 30 minutes in temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and dogs cannot be tethered for longer than nine hours within a 24 hour period.