Justice was served following the hanging and stabbing of an adopted dog named Deron in Indianapolis, an event that has sparked wider discussion about animal cruelty laws in Indiana. All four defendants involved in the tragic incident were found guilty, as reported by In Defense of Animals, with the international animal protection organization commending the conclusion of the legal proceedings.

Deron's story began with hope when he was adopted from Indianapolis Animal Care Services on July 28, 2022, but took a gruesome turn just days after. The two-year-old dog described as energetic and affectionate was found dead on August 6, 2022, hanging by its leash on a front porch, having been stabbed multiple times. According to FOX59, doorbell footage captured some of the brutal events and subsequent attempts to dispose of the body – including one man requesting a knife and another stating "F*** him up!"

In a statement obtained by In Defense of Animals, Doll Stanley, a Senior Campaigner for the organization, said, "Deron has won a measure of justice for his terrifying death." Criticizing Indiana's animal cruelty laws where the maximum charge for such an act is a Class 6 felony, equal to a charge for shoplifting, she advocates for stronger measures. The recent ruling could potentially fuel the push for harsher legal repercussions for animal abusers in the state, an effort previously led by Sen. J.D. Ford with Senate Bill 41, which was rejected.