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Animal Cruelty Unit Proposed In Dallas County

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas County has reported more than 2,500 cases of animal cruelty this year. Now, the county is set to take hisotric measures to crack down on people accused of animal abuse. The Dallas County District Attorney's office is about to establish a unit dedicated solely to solving animal cruelty cases. It will be officially presented to Dallas County Commissioners on Tuesday morning.

Animal abuse cases led Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia and the organization 'Safer Dallas, Better Dallas' to move in this direction. Animal cruetly experts called it imperative that law enforcement give these cases a bigger priority. "Animals are defenseless," said Jonnie England with the Texas Humane Alliance, "and so those who think they can take out their rage, their frustration, their emotion on a defenseless animal can do that on a defenseless or a weaker human being as well."

This is going to be the first unit of its kind in North Texas, and the hope is that it will be funded through donations. A large donation of $40,000 will be announced at a news conferencey on Tuesday. 'Safer Dallas, Better Dallas' will be leading the efforts to raise the $200,000 necessary for creating the unit.

The Dallas County District Attorney's animal cruelty unit will be made up of one prosecutor and an investigator.

Final approval by county commissioners is expected on December 11.

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