Animal abuse tends to see more repeat offenders simply because the punishment isn't stiff enough to deter offenders. As you know animal abuse, neglect and cruelty, federal laws and state laws are ever changing and in many cases these changes allow for harsher penalties.  However, these penalties won't be able to effect any change if they they are not implemented.

Your office is currently prosecuting a particularly heinous case against Eric J. Hannon.  While he has pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty, he has openly admitted to securing his dog, Athena, a black lab husky mix, with a prong collar and a 2.5' rope to a support column in a basement, in his home at 29 Pinehurst Ave., in Auburn, MA, sometime in February of 2018 and leaving "overnight" to go see his girlfriend in NH.  While he claims that he returned to find the basement flooded and Athena deceased, by either flooding or electrocution and was too afraid to confirm which, the evidence does not support this.  The reports back from the femur bones submitted by the Auburn police department to Michigan State University clearly indicate that Athena suffered a very slow and painful death from starvation, which may have taken place entirely in a dark basement, all alone.  The average bone fat in a recently deceased dog is approximately 59% but Athena's was just 2.4%.  In the statement of facts police said Hannon subjected the dog to "cruel and inhumane conditions and gave the dog, little if any, chance to survive any unforeseen circumstance by abandoning it and tying it to a column in his basement and then leaving for an extending period of time to visit his girlfriend in New Hampshire."

While I am glad to see that the original charge was dismissed without prejudice, so that it could be refiled, I am gravely concerned that should Eric J. Hannon be found guilty, that he won't receive a harsh enough penalty that deters him from future animal cruelty offenses.  There is plenty to indicate that Mr. Hannon isn't taking this too seriously, like the fact that he was initially scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 10, but a default warrant needed to be issued after he failed to appear and his ear to ear smile mugshot, so I am writing to implore you to seek the maximum penalty for the crime.

Additionally, seeking the maximum penalty will send a clear message to other potential offenders that a crime like this not only can but will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, which in this case I believe is 7 years in jail and a $5000.00 fine. 

The actions of the folks prosecuting this case can yield so much more than just potential posthumous justice for Athena.  It can help to prevent future pain, suffering and death for many other animals, so please, maximum time for the crime!

Thank you very much in advance for your consideration and best of luck with prosecuting this case.