Kobe is a five-year-old Coonhound-Boxer mix from Sound Beach, New York. By the time he was brought to a veterinarian, he weighed just 37 pounds. A healthy dog his size should weigh about 65 to 67 pounds. Vets scored him a 1 on a 5-point body condition scale, the lowest rating possible, which signals severe emaciation.

According to the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Kobe was kept in a crate indoors without enough food or water. Investigators say he went without needed vet care from early this year through October. Vets also found sores on his hips and legs that they say are consistent with long periods of pressure and confinement.

The couple who owned Kobe each face two misdemeanor charges and are scheduled to be arraigned in Central Islip on October 30. Misdemeanor charges generally carry lighter penalties than felonies. For months of alleged suffering, many animal lovers believe that is not enough.

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney has the power to review this case and pursue the strongest charges the evidence supports. Prosecutors can also ask the court to make sure Kobe is never returned to the couple and to bar them from owning animals in the future.

Kobe is now getting medical care at a local animal shelter as he begins to recover. He deserves a vetted, loving forever home, and every animal in Suffolk County deserves protection from this kind of neglect.

Sign the petition to urge the Suffolk County District Attorney to seek full accountability for Kobe before the October 30 court date.