When she was only two years old, Allie the Boston terrier was abandoned. The timing couldn't have been any worse: she was actively in labor with her third litter of puppies, and had been for an entire day. Even though being discarded seemed like the worst thing that could happen to her, it was actually a blessing in disguise.
Up until that point, Allie had been severely abused by her so-called "caretakers." Held hostage by dog breeders, Allie was forced to produce as many puppies for sale as her body possibly could. During her years in their household, her owners wounded her so badly, they left her with scars on her ears, face, and legs.
The worst part? There were many opportunities where someone could have stopped the abuse.Sign the petition to demand that the Florida state legislature pass this crucial measure to protect pets' lives and wellbeing!There were warning signs from the beginning, and someone
could have tried to help her earlier on. A veterinarian who examined her at one point recognized the signs of horrible abuse —
but they did not alert any authorities about it. And so she continued to be brutalized until the day that she was deserted at an animal hospital, where she gave birth to six puppies.
To rectify this injustice,
several bipartisan lawmakers in Florida have teamed up to advance legislation called "Allie's Law." While Allie herself was lucky enough to survive and in fact went on to be adopted by a loving and devoted family, many other pets are nowhere near as fortunate. And there's a clear reason why: previously, Florida law simply stated that veterinarians "may" report incidents of animal cruelty, with no actual requirement that they do so. But under Allie's Law, all vets and vet techs would be
officially mandated to report animal abuse to the proper authorities — saving an untold number of lives.
The bill's main sponsor, Florida state Rep. Dan Daley, has also made it clear that this bill is additionally intended to protect women and children. Vast amounts of research demonstrate the strong correlation between animal abuse and domestic violence, including spousal and child abuse. If an animal brutalizer were to be caught early on, authorities could actually prevent future tragedies — both for animals, and for other humans.
Florida has allowed a system of leniency when it comes to animal cruelty reporting for too long. It's time that they get serious about protecting innocent pets... and their vulnerable human family members.
Tell Florida state senators and representatives to vote yes on "Allie's Law!"