With animal violence on the rise in Kansas, an animal welfare group has created a new program to reduce animal violence throughout 23 counties in that state.
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The project known as Cruelty Stoppers opens the conversation around abused animals and now takes care of those animals, which are sometimes linked to domestic violence cases. The project also tries to create a better relationship between Topeka Police and local shelters, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported.
Just last week a Kansas area man was charged with 10 counts of animal cruelty after 50 dead or neglected animals were found in his property.
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Cruelty Stoppers would work to make sure that people like that don’t get away with mistreating animals.
The project was developed by the Northeast Kansas Animal Welfare Foundation, which CEO and president Bill Acree runs.
Acree said the project was created because of the inadequate follow-up on cruelty cases. The Cruelty Stoppers program was modeled after Crime Stoppers on TV.
Anyone who reports animal cruelty cases that leads to a conviction is eligible for a reward.
The need for the program was acknowledged by Shawnee County district attorney and sheriff and the Topeka interim police chief, Acree said, KAKE reported.
“We would need a bigger staff,” Acree said, KAKE reported. “Statewide, it would be wonderful if we could stop animal abuse.”
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Acree went on to say that without authorities informing the public about crimes, the issue may never stop.
“That’s where we step in and say: ‘We would like to reward you for the word you gave that led to this (arrest),’” Acree said. “Obviously, to arrest and convict a dog-fighting ring would be worth a lot more money than someone who tied up their kitty in a sack and threw it over the bridge.”
The foundation’s chairman, Kerry Crotinger, said that people who mistreat animals might abuse people as well.
“Now that people are aware,” Crotinger said, “when they know that there is a program like this out there, they are better able to assist a local shelter. Everything goes back to attacking the innocent or the ones not willing to speak for themselves because that dog or cat can’t make a phone call.”
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