Molly’s Law Documentary

Marion County Florida residents were outraged when a dog was viciously beaten and nearly killed by its owner. The community came together by creating a groundbreaking law to protect animals from their abusers. The dog is Molly. The law is Molly’s Law. The law creates a registry that identifies animal abusers so they won’t be allowed to abuse an animal again. This is the documentary that tells the story of Molly, her incredible journey and the animal welfare movement that can protect all animals from their abusers.

The premiere was held at the Marion Theatre on April 24, 2022 but you can still watch the documentary below.

About Molly’s Law:

“Molly’s Law” is designed to keep animal abusers away from innocent animal victims. Not only is the public and those entities who transfer the ownership of animals notified of convicted abusers living in the county; mandating them to check the registry prior to selling, adopting, or gifting animals, but is further enhanced by monitoring and penalizing registered offenders who face fines or possible incarceration if found in possession, exercise control over, harbor, live with, or work with animals for as long as they are required to register in Marion County.

The ordinance is named after Molly, an American Boxer mix, who was brutally stabbed and beaten with a wooden bat by Steven Scott Fleming in 2014. She found a loving “furever” home with Lilly Baron, SPCA of Ocala President.

Molly was a survivor, and will forever represent ALL animal victims in the county as the registry ambassador. The online registry provides photos and identifying information about convicted animal abusers as they become available. It is accessible on Marion County Animal Services’ website at www.marioncountyfl.org/aar

In October 2016, the Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved changes to the Marion county Animal Control ordinance, providing for the creation of an animal abuser registry. Launched on January 1, 2017, the online registry will feature those who have been convicted of misdemeanor and felony animal cruelty crimes in Marion County, Florida.

ANIMAL ABUSE = HUMAN ABUSE. Marion County has raised the bar for the welfare of animals and residents by protecting ALL vulnerable victims from the cycle of violence those perpetrators of Animal Cruelty will most often follow, setting precedence for the Sunshine State.