Louisville woman pays for billboards urging public to report animal abuse

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Drivers across Louisville may notice billboards urging people to report animal abuse. The message is simple if you see a dog, cat or any animal being mistreated, report it.

But the billboards are not part of a city campaign. They are being paid for by one Louisville woman who says she wants to speak up for animals that cannot speak for themselves.

Jenny Brown says the idea came after she recorded video showing dogs tied up outside and living in mud and standing water. She turned that video over to Louisville Metro Animal Services.

"I want to — animals are the most innocent beings among us, and they don’t have a voice," Brown said. “Some of us need to be their voice."

Brown says she is not the leader of an organization or advocacy group — just someone who cares deeply about animals. She has raised nearly $9,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to pay for the billboards.

Each billboard costs about $1,200 a month to display, including the artwork. Brown volunteers with Louisville Metro Animal Services, and the phone number listed on the billboards connects directly to the agency.

Animal Services officials say they support the effort.

"It’s awesome," one staff member said. "I’ve been here ten years and I don’t remember seeing billboards specifically about cruelty and neglect."

Inside the shelter, several dogs are being cared for while they wait for homes. Many were found as strays. One dog named Henry is severely underweight — something staff say they have been seeing more often.

"I would say over the last three to four years we’ve definitely seen an increase in emaciated dogs," a staff member said. "Dogs that just aren’t being fed well."

Brown says she is receiving a public service rate for the billboards and hopes to keep them up as long as possible to encourage people to report abuse and neglect when they see it.