When it comes to animal protection laws, Kentucky sat at last place in the nation for 13 years running according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund's rankings. Mychell Lawson, founder of Kentucky Animal Action, says the state has slowly inched up in recent years due to small, hard-fought campaigns over issues that many might consider common sense protections.
"Everything that everyone thinks is a no-brainer, it never is," she said. "Animal sexual assault, we had opposition. Vet reporting, we had opposition. Dog fighting, opposition... So we just gotta keep on keeping on and things are changing."
This year, Lawson and the other advocates hope to pass Senate Bill 230, aimed at recouping government costs of seizing and impounding abused animals, sponsored by Republican Sen. Julie Raque Adams.
Animal action rallies often strive to put a face on the problem. This year's four-legged spokesperson was Penny, an Arrow Fund rescue dog found thrown out of a car in a plastic bag and took a year to recover from broken and rebroken bones, infection, and other results of extreme abuse.
Louisville teacher Lindsey Peetz, who's helped shepherd a student-driven Humane Action Team, says Penny now serves as friendly face at her school.
"Penny goes with me to Assumption High School and hangs out with our students and is a kind of a therapy dog in our guidance office," she said. "I always say there is a power in Penny because she always make them feel better."
It's a power rally-goers hope will help convince Kentucky lawmakers to advance more animal-friendly bills.
