https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/campbell-dog-rescued-after-8-years-of-living-outside/

Campbell, Ohio is small suburb in Youngstown, Ohio.  Within the last year we have seen 3 animal cruelty cases.  Innocent dogs abused.  The severity of abuse and neglect is heartbreaking.  The news story above is about Carmelo, an owner surrender,  a dog chained for 8 long, painful years.  He is only one of the dogs saved, his story is not something we haven't heard before.  5 dogs were chained at Elizabeth Hafner's house here.  She was recently found guily of animal abuse and is not allowed to own any companion animals.  Lottie, a 10 year old German Shephard mix, suffered 10 years on the end of a chain because of Hafner.  Lottie's old, tired bones and tumor filled back end made it painful for her to stand or sit on the cold, hard ground in the Youngstown winters, smothering heat in the summer,  never having cold, fresh water to try to cool down.  Never receiving any vet care.  Isolation and lonliness filled their lives. In desperation to be saved the dogs began barking and howling for years, YEARS!  no one came.  They had all given up.  Then one day, a Facebook post changed their lives and a police officer came to see their horrific abuse.  The dogs were so happy to see a kind, loving person, perhaps this person would help them, and help them he did!  He secured rescues and foster homes for the dogs to receive vetting, grooming and patient foster homes.  Elizabeth Hafner, as usual, got a slap on the wrist, no consequences for the years of abuse she forced these innocent dogs to endure for years.  Next is Mia, Mia was found stuffed in crate on an 80 degree day, matted, full of urine, pine tree needles and shaking. A neighbor saw Mia and called the police, because Mia was left on the porch, no one there, the police officers took Mia into their care at the police station.  Mia entered Rescue Me Pawsome Style a few days later.  Mia needs all her teeth pulled because she never received vet care, is afraid of every noise and other dogs.  A trainer is working with Mia and her foster to teach Mia she can trust humans.  It is a long road ahead for Mia.  Mia's abuser, Shelley Lozado Rivera,  has been sentenced but Mia and the other dogs abused will be living with their sentence for the remainder of their lives.

This petition is to serve 2 purposes:

1.  Encourage Campbell Prosecutor Brian Macala to enforce our already weak animal cruelty laws.  At the very least, reportable probation and have offenders/abusers have supervised volunteer work at a rescue or shelter to learn how to be kind to animals, along with never being allowed to own any or have any in the home they reside in.

2.  Encourage Campbell offiicals to update their tethering ordinance to include/limit times dogs can be chained or kept outside in a kennel, not allowed outside from 10:00 pm- 6:00 am.  Not to be outside in a temperature below 32 or above 85 degrees F.  No choke, prong collars used. 

We as companion animal rescues, part of a community, that work hard every day to save the animals in the community request you update the Campbell Ordinance as stated above.