LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – Kentucky’s weak animal protection laws have been thrown into the limelight as recent animal abuse cases surface in the area.
Over the weekend, there were protests in Taylor County, KY, after a dog breeder, charged with 82 counts of animal cruelty, was let off the hook.
The animals found living in their own waste when an animal control officer inspected the property.
Bobby and Rebecca Phillips were criminally charged but 6 months later- those charges dropped against Bobby and amended to lesser charges against Rebecca.
"The judge and the prosecuting attorney completely let this county down. They let the dogs down and there's a lot of us that are not happy about it,” Kathy Borseth, who organized the protest, said.
This as the search continues for the killer of the so-called "arrow dog"- a Jack Russell terrier who was shot and killed by a bow and arrow in the Fairdale area earlier this summer.
Pam Daniels, who lives in the neighborhood where the dog was found, said, "we are determined to find who the individual is who did this."
These cases putt Kentucky's poor protections for animals on full display.
WHAS11 wanted to find out what are the laws keeping Kentucky's animals safe? And how are they enforced?
According to the Animal Legal Defense Fund, which says its mission is "to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system", Kentucky has been the worst state in the nation for animal protection laws for more than a decade.
"Kentucky does not have a great track record for punishing animal cruelty- this is an ongoing issue here in Kentucky,” Teeya Barnes, with Louisville Metro Animal Services, said.
As is stands today, veterinarians are prohibited from reporting suspected animal cruelty, officers have less enforcement authority than other states, and Kentucky only enforces felony charges for certain types of animal cruelty and then only for select animals.
"It’s really a shame that we're at the bottom all the time. I'm really getting embarrassed by it. It’s time to do something”, Kentucky State Representative Kevin Bratcher said.
Lawmakers say it’s time to do something and they are ready to act.
Bratcher has proposed three new bills in Frankfort this year.
The first new bill would make it legal to rescue a dog from a hot car. Currently, it’s a misdemeanor to break into the car.
The second bill would put offenders on a registry that will keep them from adopting from humane societies or pet stores.
The third bill would make animal cruelty offenses a felony instead of a misdemeanor on the second offense.
His hope is his home, the Commonwealth of Kentucky will no longer be known as the state failing to protect some of its most vulnerable residents.
Those three bills are based off laws already passed in Tennessee – which is near the top of the list for best animal protections. Lawmakers are hopeful they will be passed in January which is the next legislative session.
►Contact reporter Shay McAlister at smcalister@whas11.com. Follow her on Twitter (@WHAS11Shay) and Facebook.