Target outrage of Croley case toward passage of Nitro’s Law
As the recent rapid release of a convicted animal abuser on a blatant parole violation illustrates, the revolving doors of Youngstown and Mahoning County’s dysfunctional criminal justice system appear to swing open just as widely for those guilty of abominable crimes against animals as they do for those guilty of nefarious crimes against people and property.
The case of Youngstown’s Steven S. Croley also illustrates the need for speedy action to toughen the state’s animal-abuse statutes. Specifically, it should move state legislators out of their state of lethargy to make the long-stalled Nitro’s Law official Ohio law as expeditiously as possible in the new year.
Croley created statewide and nationwide outrage three years ago when Animal Charity agents found seven dead and eight malnourished dogs in the backyard kennel area of his business, High Caliber K-9 on Coitsville-Hubbard Road.
Adding to that outrage was Croley’s slap-on-the-wrist sentence: 30 days in jail, $1,746 in restitution and three years’ probation. Croley also was ordered not to own or harbor any animals during the term of his probation.
Flash forward to last week: Croley was picked up for violating terms of that probation by having three dogs on his Austintown property. In his appearance in Youngstown Municipal Court, Judge Robert Douglas released Croley on his own recognizance until a court appearance next month.
LENIENCY IN CITY COURT AND IN STATE LAW
Judge Douglas’ leniency has been a target of rightful public disdain in recent days, but that can be mitigated with tough punishment for the parole violation when Croley returns to city court at 2:30 p.m. Jan. 11.
The judge’s leniency, however, can be rationalized. After all, Croley’s original abuse ranked as a lowly misdemeanor offense under existing state law. The underlying culprits in this miscarriage of justice are Ohio’s weak statutes governing serious animal neglect and abuse. The Buckeye State is one of only five states in the nation where severe animal abuse is not a felony.
House Bill 108, introduced by Valley Reps. Ronald Gerberry and Robert Hagan, would fix those flaws by making it illegal for kennel owners, managers or employees to abuse or neglect pets in their care. Those found guilty of doing so could face felony charges, and judges could restrict or forbid their ability to operate kennels.
Dana Donnelly, a Youngstown woman who rallied in Columbus earlier this month for passage of Nitro’s Law, argues passionately for the reforms: “As it stands now, if you kill an animal, you get a parking ticket, and that’s not fair. It’s taking a life, and that should be a felony.”
Had the taut felony punishment called for in Nitro’s Law been in place three years ago, it is likely Croley would have been doing some serious jail time.
In the name of Nitro, one of the dogs who died at the hands of Croley, it is now time for animal lovers throughout the Mahoning Valley and the state to channel their outrage more vigorously toward the state Legislature.
Despite the partisan divisiveness that has hampered action on several vital state issues in 2011, animal compassion transcends politics.
As such, animal advocates should use this holiday lull constructively by writing, calling, e-mailing or tweeting their state representative or state senator — many of whom face re-election in 2012 — to call for an end to years of inaction on animal rights and to demand passage of Nitro’s Law within the first quarter of 2012.