National animal welfare group won't press charges in Libre case, urges changes to state dog laws

Despite reports to the contrary, a national animal-welfare organization won't be stepping in to press charges against the southern Lancaster County dog breeder accused of leaving an emaciated and mange-ridden puppy to die.

Libre, a scrawny Boston terrier, was surrendered to Speranza Animal Rescue on July 4 and has been recovering at a York County animal hospital. A Dillsburg veterinarian said Libre was hours from death when rescued.

Susan Martin, an animal cruelty officer and executive director of the Lancaster County SPCA, declined to press charges against the breeder.

Martin said it's impossible to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt that the individual willingly and knowingly grossly neglected care for the animal intending to cause foreseeable grave injury or harm." She said her staff veterinarian decided that immediate care wasn't necessary after seeing a photo of the dog.

That led to protests at the shelter and thousands of messages on social media calling for Martin's resignation. Some Libre supporters have spread the news that the Humane Society of the United States was taking over.

Not so, says Humane Society spokeswoman Samantha Miller.

"The case of Libre is one of many in a string of high profile cases that highlights the urgent need for the Pennsylvania legislature to take animal cruelty seriously by passing tougher laws," Miller, based in Washington, D.C., said in an email to LNP.

"While we are not a law enforcement agency, and as such we do not have jurisdiction over cases like this, we are working with community groups to turn this tragedy into positive action," Miller said. "We can do this by improving puppy mills through legislative change so this doesn't happen to dogs in the future."

She said two bills being considered in Harrisburg "would help puppies like Libre." One, she said, would grant consumer protection to people who buy a sick puppy, while the other would require more background information to be made available on dogs being sold in pet shops.

"We need to hold pet breeders responsible for their actions," Miller said.

On Friday, the SPCA board of directors issued a statement supporting Martin's decision not to press charges against the breeder.