New animal abuse laws in Michigan

Starting this month, new legislation in Michigan will more than double the penalty for heinous crimes involving animals. “We do have a lot of cases where an animal is either strangled to the point of defecating on itself or passing out or severely maned so their ears are cut, or they’re beaten with a bat… maybe tied up by their leash,” said Ingham County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Nattalie Macomber. The state of Michigan is taking a stand against these types of crimes with stricter penalties and Macomber believes this is a good time to start changing the narrative. “The culture is really changing and the education about what animal abuse actually is has really evolved in the last few years,” she said.