YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Whether it's hoarding, neglect or dog fighting -- crimes against animals continue to put hundreds of local animals at risk.

A Girard man was found guilty of cruelty after he was caught on camera hitting a 4-year-old Rotweiler.

A Lordstown couple was charged with hoarding dozens of animals inside a home on Salt Springs Road.

And just last month, 34 dogs and 2 cats were found inside a house on Youngstown's South side. We were told it may be the largest hoarding case in years.

Well now the penalties for those kinds of cases just got tougher.

That's because a new law took effect in Ohio known as Goddard's law.

The legislation is named for Cleveland's long-time weatherman Dick Goddard who worked to get strong penalties for animal abuse.

The new law makes it a felony to harm a companion animal or pet, and local humane agents say it's a positive step when it comes to the battle against animal cruelty.

Some believe the new law gives teeth to the animal cruelty penalties in Ohio.

If convicted the penalty has increased from a misdemeanor maximum of 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine, to a felony with a maximum of up to one-year in prison, and a $2500 fine.

Keith Hipple of Youngstown says, "I was surprised that it isn't a felony. Because how often even on your channel do they have somebody that gets investigated and they find 20 dogs there that are malnourished and cats and this and that, so maybe that would help stop that if it's more severe."

Those who work with animals are glad the penalties are catching up to the crime, but feel adding a database that would alert them to prior offenders should be included.

Rick Tunison the Kennel Manager at the Mahoning County Dog Warden's Office tells 21 News, "Our job is to pull the stray dogs off the streets and get them into good loving homes. The last thing we want to do is get them into a home where they may be abused or victimized again."

Humane Agents at Animal Charity will be impacted the most by this new law because they handle cases of animal abuse and neglect.

Mary Louk, the Board President of Animal Charity says the original Goddard's law legislation was watered down, but this is a good first step. "It's going to help on the absolute worst of the worst cases. The way that it's written is that it has to be a knowing act of animal cruelty that causes serious physical harm. So that knowing part is very difficult to prove in a lot of cases."

Louk also says the new legislation does away with the humane agency's ability to use a "special prosecutor" for it's cases.

"It's very difficult sometimes for our cases to get attention in the court system. You know when you've got prosecutors that are dealing with a heavy, heavy load. I mean they're all so overworked. It's hard for them when they have rape cases and murder cases to go to an animal cruelty case. So a lot of times our cases would get bumped down," Louk said.

The new law also would impose mandatory prison time and fines for assaulting a police dog or horse that dies as a result of its injuries.