Many horses are injured even before reaching their final destination. Some are shipped for more than 24 hours at a time without food, water or rest, and the methods used to kill these horses once they arrive at the plant can be exceptionally inhumane.

Verdict: GUILTY of FELONY ANIMAL CRUELTY. Depraved animal abuser charged with terroristic threats and tampering with a witness: "The same thing that happened to your cat can happen to you." Suspect subdued with pepper spray while resisting arrest.

Michelle Laney saw it all happen. The kitten hit the pavement, then tried to drag himself out of the road. What do you do? You're in shock. Numerous people saw the original story on WAVY.com and immediately stepped in with financial help.

Using his bare hands, James Patrick Gilley ripped one of the kittens in half, and smashed the other kitten's jaw and mouth, according to his arrest affidavit. Gilley was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and has no mental health issues.

117 cats, that's how many animals the Nebraska Humane Society pulled out of a North Omaha home. They found dozens of cats, a raccoon, and a rabbit in the house. Some of the cats were dead and some so sick they're being kept separate from other animals.

Huddled in a small wicker basket in the corner of a makeshift cattery sleeps a miracle. Pirate's head peers over the basket's edge for a mere second -- long enough to display his remaining glossy eye that tells the story of a long journey to wellness.

The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA) has operated for more than 140 years and addresses the needs of thousands of homeless animals each year. It was the first humane society in the state and the second in the nation.

"I've just always been into animals, and just kind of really into the idea of standing up for those who can't speak for themselves. My favorite part of the job is definitely working with the animals themselves. I enjoy handling the animals."--Betty Sorrel

The animals were living in "deplorable" conditions, and inside the home "everything was moist to the touch" from urine. The floors were soaked, as was all of the furniture, and "you couldn't stay inside the house" for more than a few minutes.

13-week-old orange tabby MJ, the lone surviving kitten out of four that had been randomly thrown from a vehicle, died Tuesday, March 8, from its head injuries. A state assembly bill would increase fine for aggravated animal cruelty from $5,000 to $25,000.