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In the end, the best advocate for Susie’s law turned out to be Susie herself.

The gentle, sad-eyed pit bull-shepherd mix, who suffered unimaginable cruelty at the hands of her former master, won hearts everywhere she went, including Raleigh.

As a Senate committee last week discussed the legislation that bears her name, there was 1-year-old Susie, napping peacefully on the floor as a living reminder of what the law really means.

Susie still wears two prominent scars of her torment: ears that were burned away when she was set afire and left to die while only an 8-week-old puppy. Her former owner, a Greensboro man, also broke her jaw and several teeth. Yet he could only receive probation as the toughest punishment for his crime. He wound up behind bars only because he was convicted of other, unrelated charges.

Now that loophole will be closed.

Tougher penalties
Thanks to the story of the pup’s miraculous recovery from the brink of death, Susie’s Law sailed through the House (113-0) and the Senate (47-0).

Once enacted, the bill, championed by Sen. Don Vaughan, a Greensboro Democrat, will elevate acts of animal cruelty from a misdemeanor to a higher-grade felony. Until now, you could serve a stiffer sentence for putting a match to a piece of furniture.

Another piece of legislation that would address animal cruelty, unfortunately, hasn’t fared nearly as well.

Puppy mill bill stalled
A bill that would apply reasonable state oversight to dog-breeding businesses has encountered opposition from the American Kennel Club and the National Rifle Association, among others.

The NRA says the bill would make it harder and more expensive for hunters to buy dogs. It would more likely protect them from wasting money on sick dogs. The AKC said in a May news release that “North Carolina already has effective animal abuse laws.” Tell that to Susie.

Both arguments are grounded more in fear than fact. The bill merely would set minimum standards for commercial breeders.

Most significantly, through enforcement and awareness the bill would prevent conditions from escalating to the point where puppies die.

Breeders with 15 or more puppy-bearing-age females would be required to register with the state (at an annual cost of $50) and follow guidelines for the puppies’ care, as prescribed by the state Department of Agriculture.

Proponents of the bill include Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes, who says he has seen too much evidence of abuse that could have been stopped earlier.

Sheila Rush Savage was indicted earlier this month on 12 counts of cruelty to animals following a four-month undercover investigation by the Sheriff’s Office and county Animal Control officers.

More than a dozen customers had complained of buying sick and parasite-infested dogs from Savage’s business, Rush Kennel.

Five dogs seized from the kennel by officers were so sick that they eventually died, as did a sixth dog bought by undercover officers. Ninety-seven others were put up for adoption in the Guilford County Animal Shelter.

Prevention versus punishment
Make no mistake, Susie’s Law represents  a critical step forward in animal abuse legislation. But that bill focuses on the degree of punishment after harm has been done. The puppy mill legislation is intended primarily to prevent mistreatment.

The bill’s primary sponsor, Sen. Don Davis, a Snow Hill Democrat, has said time and again that he wants the bill to be fair and practical. He also says he is open to suggestions on how to improve it.

But the bill has gained little traction among lawmakers. “You don’t know what we’re up against,” said B.B. Knowles of Greensboro, who is founder of the grass-roots group, N.C. Voters for Animal Welfare.

For all of the formidable foes the bill has attracted, it does have reputable allies, among them the North Carolina Sheriffs Association and the Humane Society of the United States.

Maybe it needs Susie, too.
Susie certainly deserves the new life she has with a caring new owner. Also, a new career awaits her as a therapy dog for child burn victims.

But maybe she wouldn’t mind lending her name and clout to just one more worthy cause.
Susie was the victim of wanton violence but unscrupulous puppy breeders can do just as much harm through negligence and undernourishment.

Let those lobbyists against puppy mill regulations have to look Susie in the face and say no.