94.73%	YES
5.26%	NO

Comment: Most definitely. If you cannot take care of you dog then you probably cannot take care of your children or others. It is the most inhumane thing I have ever known, not to be able to take care of your animal. Dogs are loving and great companions. from Greevillle/Ohio by Linda

Comment: Absolutely! Animals feel pain, hunger, fear, love and a whole lot more. The laws should be as harsh as if it were a child. from Fairborn, Ohio by Robin

Comment: Absolutely. Abuse is unacceptable for all beings. Period. from Fairborn Ohio by Cyn Wampler

Comment: YES they should be held accountable for their actions, And I DO believe it should be the same punishment!!!! from S.Charleston Ohio by Della

Comment: When taking an animal into your house, you are in control the welfare of that animal. If the dog was not eating, take it to the vet. If you can't afford a vet, you can't afford the animal. The animal is helpless and 100% depended on you to meet its needs. This is another living being. Anyone who would allow this to happen to a dog will allow it to happen to a child. Hopefully, the judge will have more commonsense this time and convict her. from Dayton, OH by Dawn

Comment: Animal cruelty/abuse has increased and more severe. Animals need protection from harm just as humans.There are options available if a person no longer want or can care for the animal. Elizabeth Lewis deserves jail time, she look not to have missed any meals! from Dayton,Oh by Darlene

Comment: Animals feel the same pain as humans do neurologically speaking and so should be entitled to the same legal protections extended to humans. from Dayton, OH by Bethany

Comment: Abusing an animal has statistically been linked to possible violence to people. How could stricter laws hurt? Don't do it, don't get in trouble! Do it, PAY and PAY good. I hate animal abusers... from Dayton/Ohio by Deborah Kerns

Comment: This piece of human trash was given this dog back after being found 'not guilty' of abusing (by starving) this same poor dog before - and she has the gall to CRY on TV & claim they dog was not eating occasionally? Pictures are not of a dog not eating - it was a dog starved to death! And what owner would NOT take a pet to the vet if it truly looked that sick from 'not eating'? I hope she gets serious jail time for this, but WHY did the system give this poor dog back to this sorry excuse for a human to let her finish the job? Why was there no follow up on the dog's welfare? So wrong, so sad. Also, since studies prove that people who abuse animals abuse people in their lives, why is there any question that animal abuse cases should be taken seriously? from Winchester, IN by Lynn

Comment: More so! Because they are so helpless and have no voice. And then they just move onto human down the road. from Bellefontaine/OH by Marcia

Comment: absolutely, without a doubt in my mind from Dayton ohio by Toni

Comment: animals cannot defend them selves from such cruel people. from Farmersville by Pat

Comment: I think definitly so,animals are more devoted than a lot of people. They will literally die for you.They can"t speak for themselves. And can't defend themselves. Yet they are killed,tortured and abused terribly all the time. Left to starve and die all alone.Its about time someone does something to help them. from Dayton, oh by Doris

Comment: This was so sad, your pet should be cared for and not ever starved, no excuse for the conditions this dog endured!!!! Shame on You:-( from Bellefontaine, Ohio by Amy

Comment: more stricter from Bellefontaine Ohio by Ray

Comment: WHY NOT? from Fairborn, Oh. by Jim