Florida: Statue erected in Happy Tails Dog Park to remember puppy which was tortured and beaten to death by his owner

FLORIDA -- A puppy named Ponce, who was brutally beaten and killed, now has a statue placed in the Ponce Inlet Happy Tails Dog Park to remember his life and other abused animals.

The statue was erected in the park on Thursday, Nov. 10., and is inscribed with the words, "In loving memory of Ponce April 8, 2017 and with great compassion for all animals who suffer abuse."

The 9-month-old Labrador retriever puppy was tortured and beaten to death in  April 2017. Travis Archer was charged with a third-degree felony in the incident, which made national headlines.

 

 

Because of this incident, House Bill 473, filed on Friday, Oct. 27, is now making its way through the legislative process to possibly become law. The bill was given the name "Ponce's Law" and would enact harsher punishment for individuals who abuse animals.

The Justice for Ponce organization has received thousands of signatures on a petition to enforce harsher punishment for animal cruelty.

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(Port Orange Observer - Nov 10, 2017)

Earlier:

• Florida: Travis Archer 'kills his nine-month-old puppy by slamming it through a wall, gagging it and beating it repeatedly with knotted rope', say police
• Florida: Judge rules Ponce Inlet police didn’t have consent to enter home in dog torture killing
• Florida: Judge throws out key evidence against Travis Archer, who's accused of beating his nine-month-old puppy to death