Justice for Penny, Amy & Rowdy – Change Joplin’s Laws & Hold Their Owners Accountable!

Penny, Amy, and Rowdy are innocent dogs who have endured neglect and cruelty at the hands of their owners, David and Kari Watson. These dogs were left outside in freezing temperatures with no food, frozen water, and only a thin, unheated doghouse for shelter. Their owners moved across town, abandoning them in an empty lot, checking on them only occasionally.

Despite multiple calls to Joplin Animal Control and the police, authorities refused to act. With temperatures below zero and over a foot of snow on the ground, A Neighbor found them shivering, starving, and at risk of freezing to death. Desperate to save them, A the neighbor took them to safety—but instead of protecting these dogs, authorities returned them to their neglectful owners.

If we allow this neglect to continue, these dogs—and many others like them—will suffer and possibly die from preventable abuse. Joplin’s current animal welfare laws are too weak, allowing pets to be left in extreme conditions with little protection. As long as a dog has any kind of shelter, even one that provides no warmth in freezing temperatures, Animal Control refuses to intervene. This means that countless pets across Joplin are at risk of suffering just like Penny, Amy, and Rowdy.

On the other hand, if we act now, we can change the system. By demanding stronger animal welfare laws and accountability for negligent pet owners, we can ensure that no pet is left in life-threatening conditions again. These dogs deserve justice, and so do many others who are silently suffering.

Every day that goes by is another day that Penny, Amy, and Rowdy remain at risk. Their owners have a history of neglecting them, allowing them to roam the streets, and failing to provide proper care. We cannot trust them to do better this time. Without immediate intervention, these dogs will continue to live in unsafe conditions, and the next extreme weather event could be their last.

 

We must act NOW to:

 Remove: Penny, Amy, and Rowdy from their neglectful owners and place them in a safe home.

Hold: David and Kari Watson accountable for animal cruelty and neglect.

 Strengthen: Joplin’s animal welfare laws to prevent this from happening again.

Reform: Joplin Animal Control’s policies to ensure neglected pets receive immediate help.

 

SIGN & SHARE this petition now—before it’s too late for Penny, Amy, Rowdy, and others like them!