Animal lovers and pet owners gathered in front of the Lima Municipal Court to protest and speak up for those neglected by their owners.
Earlier this week, Tyesha Jenkins of Lima brought Khloe, a 2-year-old Yorkshire Terrier who was severely ill into a veterinary clinic When asked if the dog was still alive, Jenkins said yes and Khloe was quickly taken out of the air tight cooler she was brought in. When a technician examined Khloe they found she was dehydrated and had maggots in her eyes, nose, and hair. She also was covered in fleas and was suffering from other issues as well.
Jenkins was charged with a misdemeanor animal cruelty offense and was given a 150 dollar fine with 2 years of probation but protestors think she deserves a more severe punishment.
"We want to send a message to our prosecutor and the judge that she walked away with court costs and a small fine. We want to see her get jail time for this terrible terrible offense. Until people stand up and say this is not right, it's never going to change. People have to be accountable for the bad things that they do," said Director of Deb's Dogs Pet Rescue, Debbie Helser.
Helser says she doesn't understand how Jenkins walked away without jail time since there is a law that makes it a fifth degree felony to knowingly cause serious physical harm to a pet or domestic creature.
