Steve Croley, whose actions created what's now known as Nitro's Law, has been accused of violating his probation.
Three years ago, Croley was placed on probation after dead dogs were found at his Coitsville Township High Caliber K-9 dog kennel.
Croley was not allowed to own a dog until his probation was up next month. He was arrested last month after police found three dogs at his Chaucer Way home in Austintown.
But at a hearing Wednesday, Judge Robert Douglas found Croley not guilty of probation violation. His defense attorney proved he did not own the house he was living in, therefore by definition he could not be harboring pets.
"The court's entry was clear, that he was not to own or harbor any animals. So we looked to the legal definition of owning and harboring. When I looked at the case, I realized that it didn't look like he was doing either," said defense attorney James Lanzo.
Douglas found him not guilty because the dogs and house were registered to Croley's wife.
While Croley was in court, about a dozen people gathered in Youngstown's Central Square.
The group was rallying in support of House Bill 108, better known as Nitro's Law. Nitro was one of the dogs that starved to death while at High Caliber K-9.
Currently most animal abuse cases in Ohio are misdemeanors, and this law aims to change that.
"It's important so the animal abuse stops, and people start taking it more seriously in Ohio. If we can get Nitro's Law passed, animal abuse will be a felony," said Jennifer Bird, a supporter of Nitro's Law.
Making it a felony would stiffen penalties for animal abusers. Nitro's Law has passed an Ohio House Sub-Committee, but has not come to a vote in front of the full house.
