On Monday, two 6-week-old German shepherds were found bound and gagged outside of the WRTA bus terminal in downtown Youngstown.
The case spurred the owner of The Learning Dog Training and Enrichment Center in Hubbard into action. She's collecting donations for a reward to catch whoever is behind the crime.
"A lot of times money talks. So if we can get enough money raised for a nice enough reward, somebody has seen this crime or knows this has gone on and will report it," said Katie Costello.
However, when caught, the suspect who killed the puppies will only face a misdemeanor charge under Ohio Law.
"It's just beyond heartbreaking," said Elizabeth Raab, a supporter of Nitro's Law.
Raab lost her dog Nitro three years ago. The owner of the Youngstown kennel where Raab left her rottweiler was found guilty of misdemeanor animal cruelty for starving the animal to death.
"I mean it's a simple slap on the wrist," she said.
Raab has been on a crusade ever since to change the state law, rallying behind Nitro's law, which aims to charge kennel owners with a felony. It's currently held up in the House of Representatives Rules Committee.
"What's the problem? Why will they not bring this bill to the floor for a vote? It's a simple, no-brain bill and then hopefully once it's passed and signed into law we can continue to build upon it," Raab said.
She said she hopes to eventually see all of the state's animal cruelty laws upgraded to felonies because she believes doing so will help deter crimes like the one on Monday from happening.
For more information on the reward money being collected, contact the Learning Dog Training and Enrichment Center at 330-534-4990.
