Animal advocacy groups and community members in Rochester have announced plans for a rally tonight outside Rochester City Hall to protest what organizers call poor enforcement of animal cruelty laws.
The rally is scheduled for 5 p.m. in downtown Rochester. Organizers say participants will then attend the 6 p.m. City Council meeting, where multiple speakers are expected to urge city leaders to take stronger action on animal welfare.
Advocates say the protest is focused on what they describe as a lack of response by law enforcement to reports of abuse and neglect. They point to recent cases involving dead puppies, dogs left outdoors in freezing temperatures, and a dog found in a Third Street basement with injuries allegedly linked to dog fighting. Organizers claim no criminal charges have been filed in several of those cases.
Suzanne Nugent, who leads Passion in Action Advocates for Rochester’s Animals, said her organization has identified more than 20 homes in the city where dogs are allegedly being neglected or kept in unsafe conditions. In a statement, Nugent claimed that in all of these instances, local law enforcement has been notified but has not charged the abuser or addressed the issue.
“Unfortunately, animal abusers have been given a free pass to abuse animals in the city of Rochester,” Nugent said. Because of that, the problem has proliferated and the City has simply become a terrible place for animals.”
Advocates also point to a lawsuit filed in Monroe County Supreme Court by Rochester resident Carey Burkhardt and Eileen Marutiak, executive director of Against All Oddz Animal Alliance Inc.. The lawsuit alleges that the Rochester Police Department has failed to consistently enforce state animal cruelty laws.
Marutiak said the group is prepared to pursue additional legal action if changes are not made.
“Simply put, it is our civic duty at this point to make Rochester more humane,” Marutiak said. “Further, animal cruelty is almost always an indicator of other criminal activity at any given residence. Should the police start taking animal cruelty seriously and doing their jobs enforcing the relevant animal cruelty laws, they will make the city safer not just for animals, but for people too.”
Organizers say they hope the rally and council meeting turnout will prompt city officials to create stronger policies and dedicate more resources to investigating animal cruelty cases.
