COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The heart-wrenching stories are heard far too often -- animals abused and sometimes left for dead.
Now, an Ohio lawmaker wants judges to enforce stiffer penalties against those who torture and abuse animals, NBC 4's Mikaela Hunt reported.
Rep. Brian Williams tried to get House Bill 55 passed twice before, but it never progressed to the Senate. Now, Williams said, he has new hope.
The story of Smushy the dog is painful -- and under investigation.
Someone dropped off the Shih-Tzu at the Fairfield County Humane Society recently.
"She could not walk. She could not move," said Michelle Sahr, of the Fairfield County Humane Society.
She has two broken legs, and an x-ray showed a third broken leg in the past.
"Three broken legs in a month. This is a 4-month-old puppy and three broken legs is too many," Sahr said. "One is an accident. Three is (unexplainable)."
For Sahr, it's another investigation with little recourse if someone is found responsible.
"Every day I answer people on the phone and try to explain to them that the laws in the state of Ohio are so lax," Sahr said.
"I think the legislation is critical. It's overdue and I hope we can get it through the General Assembly this time," Williams said.
Williams said he hopes the bill would protect animals who are mistreated by strengthening penalties when they're abused in domestic violence situations or when children hurt them intentionally -- before they grow up to hurt other people.
For Sahr, she's seeing more animals show up at the humane society's door in the struggling economy.
If the bill becomes law and the group gets much needed cash, it could help.
"No donations make it harder to take care of these animals," Sahr said.
HB 55 was assigned to committee on Wednesday and could get a hearing next week.
Smushy will have surgery on Thursday and the humane society said it will start looking for a good home for her.
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