Forty pigs were found living without food or water on a property in Livingston Parish, Louisiana. One pig had already died, and several others were severely injured, according to Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard. Many of the pigs had squeezed under a fence and were wandering loose and blocking the roadway, raising safety concerns for anyone driving through the area.

The property's owner, Malik Smith, 27, was arrested and now faces seven counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and 33 counts of simple cruelty to animals, according to the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office. Smith has since surrendered all of the pigs, and they have been safely removed from the property.

Forty separate lives were put in danger by neglect that went on long enough for one animal to die and others to suffer serious injuries. The Livingston Parish District Attorney's Office has the power to pursue these charges to the fullest extent the law allows, and the Sheriff's Office can make sure every surrendered pig gets the veterinary care and safe placement it needs to recover.

Accountability in this case sends a clear message that animal neglect on this scale will not be tolerated, no matter how remote the property or how long it takes for reports of loose livestock to bring help. Louisiana law exists to protect animals from exactly this kind of suffering, and it should be enforced fully here.

Sign the petition to demand full prosecution and proper care for Livingston Parish's rescued pigs, before more animals pay the price for neglect.