LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A pair of Kentucky lawmakers want to require those accused of animal abuse to pay for boarding, vet bills and other upkeep of their animals while their court cases are pending. 

Representatives Kim Banta (R-Ft. Mitchell) and Cherlynn Stevenson (D-Lexington) are sponsoring the bill that would make it the owners responsibility to pay for the animals cost of care or surrender the animals for adoption.

Before picture of a dog rescued by The Arrow Fund. (The Arrow Fund)

The Arrow Fund is a Kentucky based nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates animals who are victims of extreme torture, abuse or neglect. Most recently, the organization has taken in a group of neglected puppies.

“The mother was a stray out in a rural area and she got hit by a car and when they found her body they saw that she had puppies,” said Cheryl Noggle with The Arrow Fund. “So it took them a couple days to find the puppies and once they did they called us.”

The Arrow Fund strives to educate the public regarding the ongoing problems of animal cruelty as well as advocating state, local and national animal welfare laws.

Noggle, who also serves as a foster, took in three of the puppies that were abandoned and malnourished.

“I love animals. We help those who cant help themselves, we take in the worst cases, the animals that will typically die or get euthanized because the rural shelters dont have money to care for them,” Noggle said. “So it's great to watch them transform from a scared skinny, starving dog into a big fluffy puff.”

After picture of dog rescued by The Arrow Fund. (The Arrow Fund)

In some instances regarding animal cruelty cases, shelters are left taking in the abused animals that were seized from the situation, which could end up costing thousands of dollars.

“Typically when someone is prosecuted for an animal-related crime, a lot of people don't know that the municipality generally has to take the animal, house the animal, care for the animal during the pendency of the litigation,” Jessica Brotzge, president of The Arrow Fund said. “That can be really really expensive, especially in a case when you might have a set of hoarding situations, you might have a puppy mill situation.”

That's not an uncommon situation for The Arrow Fund, and the organization is well equipped to take in animals who have been victims of extreme cruelty.

“Some of the cats had already disappeared before we got there but there were still a number of them locked up in a shed and whenever we got there and they opened the door for someone to go in you could literally hear the cats banging against the walls and windows trying to get away,” Randy Metzger with The Arrow Fund said.

They all have hopes that this bill will prevent anymore animals from suffering and make those responsible pay.

“So something like this initiative would take that burden off the municipality and essentially make the person who is responsible for putting these animals in that situation pay for it or surrender the animal,” Brotzge said.

The next legislative session will begin in January. Kentucky lawmakers filed a similar bill last year, but didn't receive a hearing in the legislature.

The Arrow Fund will be hosting a Monster Mash Costume Ball on Oct. 29 from 7-11 p.m. at the Waterfront Botanical Gardens in Louisville.