It’s been three weeks since the blood-curdling screams started in our house.

It’s been about a week and half since those same screams stopped.

Now that the pain has ended, my husband and I both hope like heck it never comes back.

It hurts to see your dog hurt. At least, it hurt us.

That feeling of torment is one obviously not shared by every member of our community.

Animal cruelty happens here in some form every day, I’m quite sure. But lately, it’s taken on a terrifying sickness.

In mid-March, a pit bull was tied to a tree and lit on fire. His attacker poured a flammable liquid all over the dog, including in his mouth.

The savage act was enough to mentally scar the judge who handled the case and the Humane Society volunteer who dealt with the animal, they said.

More recently, a Vidalia cat was shot in the leg and left to limp away.

It took Kevin and I two trips to the veterinarian and a heavy dose of steroids to end our dog’s pain brought on by a spinal injury that is caused, Dr. Justin Gregg said, when short-legged, long-backed dogs jump off the couch or bed too hard. She’s back to her happy, pain-free self now.

Had we known we were allowing Suzy to do something that could have hurt her, jumping would have been banned years ago.

We didn’t know, but I still can’t help feel bad that I allowed her to hurt.

Obviously Travis Bradford, who admitted to setting his dog on fire, doesn’t feel the same emotions I do.

But Bradford is only a symptom of a disease that’s killing Mississippi animals. And the outbreak starts in Jackson.

The law on the books in Mississippi allows for little punishment of those convicted of cruelty to animals. The penalty is a fine of not more than $1,000 and no more than 6 months in jail. The defendant may also have to pay veterinary fees.

That’s it.

The lawmakers in Jackson have had a chance every year to change this law. In fact, most years in recent history, Sen. Bob Dearing, D-Natchez, has introduced a bill that would make some forms of animal cruelty a felony and therefore eligible for more jail time and higher fines.

But year after year, Dearing’s bills fail.

This year Senate Bill 2154 didn’t make it out of committee.

Dearing said he doesn’t know exactly why, but suspects someone was strongly lobbying against it.

In years past, worries over the bill’s effects on livestock made the difference.

No matter the reason, the law hasn’t changed.

In Louisiana, the same misdemeanor law exists. But the state has a provision for felony cruelty to animals that is punished by not less than $5,000 and not less than one year in jail.

The felony charge in Louisiana applies to cases in which animals were tortured, maimed or mutilated.

Adams County Justice Court Judge Charlie Vess told the man who burned the pit bull to seek mental help. For those of us who could never dream of hurting an animal, it’s apparent Bradford’s psyche wasn’t working as it should.

But what excuse do our leaders in Jackson have?

Bradford hurt one dog. Lawmakers are hurting hundreds.

Julie Cooper is the managing editor of The Democrat. She can be reached at 601-445-3551 or julie.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.