WWJ -- The story of Sterling the dog -- a two-year-old adopted pit bull that was burned, abused and stabbed to death -- struck a chord with many in metro Detroit.
So much so, it has led to the formation of a new task force. Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith says PAWS -- Protecting Animal Welfare & Safety Task Force-- will work with the Humane Society to try and bring animal abuse to an end.
"Every animal abuse case we'll come together. In the interim between those cases, we will do our best to train law enforcement," Smith says, "to train system prosecutors, train our staff, train courts, to handle these cases in such a way to make sure that we are successful in holding those accountable who abuse our animals."
Smith says they will "do everything we possibly can to prevent" animal cruelty.
The formation of PAWS, Smith said, comes on the heels of a 76% increase in reported cases of animal abuse in Macomb County.
Alex Gerth was sentenced to three to six years in prison for killing Sterling. Prosecutors said Gerth tortured the dog, including burning him with cigarettes, ultimately stabbing him and leaving him to die in the cold in Utica's Grant Park back in January. The case garnered a lot of media attention and Gerth received threats from the public.
Smith told WWJ those that are involved in animal abuse are "five times more likely to be involved in abuse of humans as well."
"Hopefully part of this task force is to stop animal abuse before it happens, and hopefully that translates into stopping abuse against women and children as well," Smith said.
In addition to cracking down in abuse cases, Smith hopes it will open the eyes and minds of those who witness animal abuse.
"In the past, when people would see dogs maybe being abused, they would mind their own business or not think that that's abuse," Smith said. "Well that's long since gone now. We're happy about that, we're happy that more people are paying attention to it and I think this task force can bring more of a spotlight to animal abuse and try and stop it before it happens."
