Late this summer I was driving through the back roads to my brother’s house to play whiffle ball. Although the drive had become very routine, something different this time caught my eye. I noticed a small black and white puppy playing by himself on the side of the road. Unfortunately, I did not get a very good look – nobody seemed to be watching it, as far as I could tell.

I was going to keep driving, but something inside of me told me to turn around. The sun was about to set, and the puppy was playing dangerously close to the road. After looking around for a few minutes, I picked up the rambunctious little guy, who wore a collar with no nametag. The puppy was fearless and calm as it quietly sat in the front seat. After taking the puppy to my brother’s house, we began contemplating what we were going to do with it. My brother and his wife already owned two golden retrievers and one yellow lab – owning another dog was out of the question. We ultimately decided to call the Humane Society, which picked it up the next day. My brother believed the puppy was lucky – he showed no signs of mistreatment and seemed to be in fairly good condition. But from his experience, he knew it could have been a lot worse.

The first dog my brother and sister-in-law owned was a rescue dog, meaning that it had been abused by its previous owner and was subsequently rescued. At five years of age, the malnourished yellow lab was like nothing I had ever encountered. An unmistakable fear filled its eyes at any sight of a man. It took my brother six months to gain the trust of this dog, Otis, and it took me more than a year. The dog still cowers in fright at any sudden movements.

The most frustrating aspect of this situation is that the owner who abused Otis probably got off with little jail time. Current Illinois law concerning aggravated animal cruelty has actually been upgraded to a Class 4 felony, which is punishable by probation or up to three years in prison. One man in DuPage county received just 19 days in jail after violently throwing his puppy into a wall – the puppy somehow survived. The same man later received 21 months in prison for killing his roommate’s dog after kicking it.

A recent video featured on CNN displayed the aftermath of a dog that survived being dragged from the back of a truck. The criminals were not caught. Animal torture, defined as a Class 3 felony, is punishable by two to five years in prison. While the punishment may appear consistent with the crime committed, statistics show startling connections that should induce a re-evaluation.

According to Dr. Rhonda Schulman, former veterinarian at the University’s Veterinarian Teaching Hospital, “there is no doubt that there is a link between animal abuse and human abuse.” For instance, studies indicate that 75 percent of violent offenders in prison had a previous history of animal abuse. In addition, in nearly 85 percent of homes where a child or woman is abused, an animal is also being abused.

While I am grateful that the law in Illinois pertaining to aggravated animal cruelty was recently upgraded from a misdemeanor, more jail time and a psychiatric evaluation should be required for offenders. Currently, only people who commit animal torture are required to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. A minimum term of three years in jail in addition to counseling should be a requirement for all animal abuse offenders.

According to the Humane Society of Central Illinois, nearly 400 animal abuse cases each year are investigated. Just seven years ago, animal torture wasn’t even considered a felony. While progress is being made, there is more to be accomplished. Given the connection between animal abuse and domestic violence, harsher penalties may prevent domestic violence from occurring in the first place.

Tyler can be reached at [email protected]