Animal abuse is one of the most abhorrent crimes that can be committed by humankind.
Today, animal cruelty is generally classified as a "crime against society," and can be tried on the same level as a murder case. Unfortunately, though, this was not always the case.
Back in 1994, Gucci, a 12-week-old chow mix pup in Alabama, was terribly beaten, strung up in a tree, and lit on fire by a group of vicious teenagers. Luckily, Gucci recovered from his injuries.
But only one of the teenagers was sentenced to six months in jail. Taking the horrifying level of abuse into account, the punishment was nowhere near enough.
For more than a decade, Gucci and his rescuer, Professor Doug James, worked to reform the way the law treated animals and their abusers.
They triumphed, and in 2004, Alabama passed the Pet Protection Act, which would deal with animal crimes in a much more stringent way than ever before.
Scroll further to read more about Gucci's story, and how he changed the way the law saw animal abuse. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Warning: This article contains brief photo evidence of animal abuse, which some readers might find disturbing.
Meet Gucci. He is the dog that lived through a tragic ordeal at a young age — but would live to make an everlasting impact for every single animal and pet out there.
Back in 1994, the little 12-week-old chow mix lived in Alabama. A group of three cruel teenagers beat him, hanged him in a tree by the neck, doused him with lighter fluid, and set him ablaze. The young men were punished for their acts of animal cruelty. One was sentenced to six months in jail, and the other two received hundreds of hours of community service. Still, the punishment was nowhere near enough.
At the time, Doug James, a professor at Spring Hill College, found the poor little puppy and brought him home. “The little dog was blazing from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail,” Doug describes the harrowing moment in the trailer for A Dog Named Gucci, a documentary on the dog.
Gucci spent the following year in surgery rooms at Auburn University’s animal clinic, and appearing in court cases against his abusers. Thankfully, the little puppy was strong enough, and pulled through. He went on to fully recovery from his injuries. But his story had grabbed headlines nationwide. He was now a hero — and a soon-to-be face for a new type of animal rights advocacy.
In 2000, lawmakers in Alabama passed the Pet Protection Act, a bill more commonly known as the “Gucci Law.” The Act made intentional cruelty to animals a Class C felony, and punishable with a prison term of up to 10 years. “I think Gucci’s legacy is that animals do have rights in Alabama,” said Doug. “We now have official legislation to punish abusers."
For the next decade, Doug and Gucci would work together to change how animals were treated and protected in the eyes of the law. Thanks to the worthy cause they championed, crimes against animals today are taken much, much more seriously, and have much more dire consequences.
“He would never be hostile to anything or anybody,” said Doug. “He was the perfect poster dog for animal cruelty.” Brenda Cashdollar, vice president of Friends of the Mobile Animal Shelter, agrees, saying, “If ever there was a dog that should hate people, it should be Gucci. But he loved everyone.”
Aside from helping make strides toward animal equality, Gucci made many public appearances throughout his life. He was a guest on Maury and Inside Edition, and also made frequent visits to local schools and pet organization events. In 2008, Gucci also starred as Sandy the dog in the local Playhouse in the Park’s production of Annie!
In his old age, Gucci would be carried out onto a deck off of Doug's bedroom, because he loved to watch the traffic below. His health had been declining for a few years, and now, at age 15, could only lift his head and wag his tail.
Gucci passed away peacefully on March 24, 2010. He was 16 years old. Doug believed that it was time for Gucci to be “spared further decline.” He said his last goodbyes before Gucci was put to sleep. Gucci was cremated, and his remains were placed in a memorial at the local animal shelter.
Though he has passed, Gucci will never be forgotten. A documentary called A Dog Named Gucci has even been made in his memory. He will forever be remembered as the dog who helped toughen the laws against animal cruelty and abuse, and, above all, as a dog who really lived and loved life.
Please SHARE if you think that we should continue helping the fight for animal rights!
