To Whom It May Concern, 

I am writing because I want to encourage you to speak up on behalf of animals.

Particularly the lack of prosecution on felony animal cruelty charges in a particular case in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, but in all animal cruelty cases. 

Sabrina Anne Richards, 35, was charged with four counts of animal cruelty, including two felonies, after neighbors said she fatally kicked their dog, a teacup named Harley, on June 19. Anne Arundel County Case Number: D-07-CR-16-009952, on September 7, 2016, she went in front of the honorable court and received a slap on the wrist with a mere suspended sentence that gave her 30 days to sit in jail for the FELONY crime she pleaded GUILTY to. She spent 5 days in jail and then appealed the case. 

I am writing to you because this is a cruel, heinous and malicious act of cruelty and I feel that the penalties are not harsh enough. 

She pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony. The other three charges were marked Stet, or inactive, according to online court records.

District Court Judge Shaem C. P. Spencer sentenced Richards to 30 days of active incarceration with one year of supervised probation and three years (less 30 days jail time) of back-up time, Anne Arundel State's Attorney Wes Adams' office said.

She has since appealed this case and I am asking the courts to step up and enforce more strict punishment. Animal cruelty is not acceptable, and I think that Maryland law, in addition to other state laws, are just not harsh enough to deter people from harming defenseless animals. 

I am a Maryland resident, and I am appalled that the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney office thinks that 30 days on a guilty felony is going to be a way to get their point across. I urge you to please enforce more strict punishment on this and ALL animal cruelty cases. 

This type of behavior is unacceptable, and we the people are speaking up for all the abused animals that don't have a voice. Please help us be their voice.