If a silver lining can come from a truly horrific situation, then there is hope for tomorrow.

The gruesome display of cruelty on a two-acre plot of land in the Cranfield community leaves us looking for hope.

An anonymous tip led Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies to discover what they believed to be a dogfighting farm, a location where they believe a local man raised and trained pit bulls to fight.

Dogfighting is illegal in Mississippi, so is cruelty to animals. But deputies believe they found evidence of both. Some 56 living dogs — and the remains of dozens more that were dead — were found in various stages of neglect and outright catastrophic injury.

Sheriff’s deputies described dogs missing limbs and even a jaw. They described seeing animals so injured with wounds untreated that insects were hatching young in the open wounds. If that disgusts you, as we hope it will, we urge you to call your state representatives and ask for their help.

Mississippi has arguably the most lax cruelty to animals laws in the country, and that must change.

Currently cruelty to animals is merely a misdemeanor in Mississippi.

Both cruelty to animals and the greater charge of dogfighting need to be strengthened with higher fines, longer potential prison sentences and higher bond mandates as well.

Sadly, dogfighting in Mississippi is big business with tens of thousands of dollars often changing hands in a single match.

The dogs cannot testify in court, they can only speak through their own injuries and scars of their torture.

Getting tough on the cowards who fight dogs is long overdue.

Will you do your part to help give these dogs hope?

Sen. Bob Dearing can be reached at bdearing@senate.ms.gov

Sen. Tammy Witherspoon can be reached at twitherspoon@senate.ms.gov

Rep. Sam Mims can be reached at smims@house.ms.gov

Rep. Robert Johnson can be reached at rjohnson@house.ms.gov

Rep. Angela Cockerham can be reached at acockerham@house.ms.gov