MACON, Ga.- Macon-Bibb County had 309 animal cruelty cases from October 2015 to October 2016, said Sonja Adams, the director of the Macon-Bibb County Animal Welfare Center.

She attributes this high number to Macon’s poverty.

“The ability to provide for the animals or animal takes from their family. If you don’t have very much money and it’s between an animal or your child, the animal gets fed scraps if they have any,” Adams said.

There are many different forms of animal cruelty, but Adams said the most common in Macon are abandonment, not providing adequate food, water and shelter and not providing sanitary conditions for the animal.

According to Georgia Law, “a person commits the offense of cruelty to animals when he/she causes death or unjustifiable physical pain or suffering to any animal by an act, an omission, or willful neglect.”

Violators of this law can face fines and jail time.

The law has been in effect since 2014, but a lot of people are not aware that what they are doing is illegal, Adams said.

“Education right now is the key to turning this around,” she said.

If the Macon youth are informed on the laws, they can tell their parents that what they are doing is illegal, she said.

The Macon-Bibb County Animal Welfare Center is also willing to help those who are uninformed on the issues or need assistance. They provide doghouses and even food for the animals.

“Everyday it’s just really sad,” said Adams. “There is a compassion fatigue in this industry.”

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