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Citing a "dramatic increase" in the number of animal cruelty cases, District Attorney Lynne Abraham today named Barbara Paul to serve as an advocate for the city's abused and neglected cats and dogs.
"It's time to make a declaration that animals need to be protected," said Abraham, cradling a 10-week-old kitten in her arm at the Philadelphia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Paul, a veteran prosecutor in the District Attorney's Office, has directed Abraham's Elder Justice Project and worked in the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Unit.
For Paul, the appointment is a dream come true - even if it means extra hours and a ton of extra work. She stands to inherit 30 animal cruelty cases.
"This is something I've always wanted to do," said Paul, who shares her home with five rescued cats. "It's very important to me, especially as I come to the final stages of my legal career."
Several dogs rescued by the PSPCA barked as Abraham introduced Paul. Among them was Jeffrey, a 3-year-old poodle-mix, who scampered into a veterinarian's lap.
Jeffrey was near death - starving and covered with fleas and maggots - when he was found a month ago in North Philadelphia, where he had been abandoned by his owner with three other dogs.
"He was on his last legs," said Rachel Lee, the chief investigative veterinarian for the PSPCA. "The maggots, which eat dead flesh, probably saved his life."
The PSPCA displayed photographs of less fortunate animals: a cat beaten to death by an 12-year-old boy; a pit bull whose ears had been docked with a pair of rusty kitchen scissors; a puppy that died of severe neglect. The photos were all taken during the last month.
"The number and severity of cases have been staggering," said Howard Nelson, CEO of the PSPCA. "And these abused and neglected animals suffer more than any of us can imagine."
Nelson said the agency's anti-cruelty hotline has received more than 4,700 calls since it was launched in January.
Paul acknowledged that many of the cases she expects to prosecute are "horribly depressing" but she has faith that she can make a difference.
"I'm hoping it will send a message and that message will be heard," she said. "We will not tolerate the abuse and neglect of animals any longer."
To report an act of animal cruelty call the PSPCA's tipline at 866-601-SPCA.
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