Animal Rights Demonstration

People in Grants Pass say they are shaken up by the level of violence against animals they have seen in recent months.

Today about fifty of those people gathered outside the Josephine County Courthouse asking for stiffer penalties for animal abusers.

And both dogs and people came out to demonstrate.

"We're letting our DA and our Senator and our Governor and everyone else that's voted by us into their office that we're angry," says first time protester Elane Hertel.

She says she's angry the alleged suspects of the Josephine County Animal Shelter break in and subsequent killing of four puppies might not get the maximum punishment. Hertel says the punishment does not fit the crime.

"If they get away with this it will be children next or a grandma sitting in her house alone and helpless," she says.

Jan Crowe has lived in Grants Pass for more than twenty years and she says she's shocked this level of violence reached her community.

I've seen and heard about animals being abused before, but this is sick," Crowe says.

Adding she doesn't want to think about what would happen if whoever did this gets away with it.

"That's coming from a deep dark part of your soul and that kind of person should not be out on the streets," she says.

John Ahlf works at the humane society and says he's sick of seeing animals treated so unfairly.

"I feel like someone has to do something for them because they can't talk for themselves," he says.

Ahlf says he hopes this protest brings change.

"If we can for two hours stand here and raise one persons consciences we've accomplished our jobs," he says.

For Hertel and a lot of the other protests today, they say they just want justice to prevail.

The 22-year-old suspect in the Josephine County animal abuse case appeared in court Friday.Harley hopkins was indicted on charges related to an August 22nd break-in at the county animal shelter.

The two other suspects will appear in court monday morning.