A dead horse. A dead dog. Dozens of starving, dehydrated animals left to suffer on a single property in Gallatin County, Montana.
Last week, law enforcement executed a search of a property in the Clarkston area near Three Forks after a malnourished cow broke through a neighbor's fence. What they found was devastating — 11 dogs, a cat, 8 birds, a cow, 2 donkeys, and 8 horses, all severely malnourished and without adequate food or water. Grazing areas had been reduced to bare dirt. A dead horse and a dead dog were found hidden under a tarp.
Two suspects, Miguel Lopez and Jewels Lynch, were charged with animal cruelty. Lopez faces 11 counts. Both posted bond and walked free within days.
These animals couldn't ask for help. They couldn't leave. They were entirely dependent on the people who were supposed to care for them — and those people failed them in the worst possible way.
Local businesses have stepped up to take in the surviving animals and nurse them back to health. Now the justice system needs to do its part.
Sign this petition to demand Gallatin County prosecutors pursue the maximum penalties for Miguel Lopez and Jewels Lynch and ensure every animal on that property gets the justice they deserve.
 

Photo by: MTN News