Target: Ted Bell, District Attorney of McDowell County, North Carolina
Goal: Secure the harshest allowable fines and jail sentences for the individual(s) reportedly responsible for dozens of dead and emaciated animals.
When rescuers entered a private property recently described as a “house of horrors,” they reportedly discovered a nightmare: carcasses of dogs, ducks, and other animals scattered across the grounds, while surviving horses, pigs, and pets appeared skeletal, diseased, and too weak to stand. According to local nonprofit Rusty’s Legacy, these animals had suffered prolonged starvation and untreated illness.
The rescuers claim this scene of daily torment included multiple species confined without adequate food, water, or veterinary care. Photographs allegedly show animals so malnourished their bones protruded, alongside corpses left to decay in plain sight. Authorities have launched an investigation, but justice for the innocent victims hinges on rigorous prosecution and meaningful punishment.
Strong enforcement is critical to deter future cruelty. North Carolina law allows significant prison terms and financial penalties for felony animal abuse. Anything less than the maximum sends a dangerous signal that such brutality carries minimal consequences. Sign below to demand a decisive legal response to help protect all animals—and the community—from repeat offenses.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear District Attorney Bell,
Reports from a local rescue organization describe a scene in McDowell County where multiple species—including dogs, horses, ducks, and a pig—were found dead or severely emaciated. Rescuers purportedly documented starved animals unable to walk and remains of others left strewn around the property. These facts, if proven, constitute some of the most egregious violations of North Carolina’s animal-cruelty statutes.
Animal cruelty endangers not only its direct victims but also the wider public; numerous studies link such violence to other serious crimes. Your office has the authority to seek felony convictions, substantial fines, and lengthy incarceration for each count of abuse and neglect. A strong prosecutorial stance will demonstrate that deliberate or reckless harm to living creatures will not be tolerated.
We respectfully urge you to file every appropriate charge, present the full scope of suffering to the court, and advocate for the maximum penalties prescribed by law. Doing so will deliver justice for the animals who perished and act as a powerful deterrent against future cruelty in our community.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: James Hatcher
