The Association of Prosecuting Attorney’s (APA) is excited for the opportunity to work in collaboration with the Stanton Foundation in furthering the foundation’s goals to promote the welfare of dogs and strengthen the human/dog bond by holding animal abusers fully accountable for their actions. Dogs are sentient beings with the undeniable capacity to suffer pain. Cruelty against dogs, both active and passive, is a crime of violence, and as such requires a prosecutor’s full attention, with the accompanying allocation of resources to hold the offenders accountable and achieve just results.
APA and Stanton Foundation’s goal is to provide prosecutors with the resources to ensure that canine cruelty and dogfighting cases are thoroughly investigated and properly adjudicated by addressing some of the financial barriers that exist for law enforcement and prosecutors. APA is now accepting requests for funding to cover appropriate costs related to dog abuse cases that can include, but are not limited to, (1) costs of care; (2) necropsies and forensic evidence analysis; and (3) expert witness fees. APA and the Stanton Foundation will not have access, influence, or control over how a case is investigated, prosecuted, or sentenced.