Baltimore Launches Anti-Animal Abuse Ads

For Judith Kunst, a Remington resident, it’s the speed the city’s anti-animal abuse ad campaign came together that’s impressive.

“To achieve this in less than a year and a half is amazing. It shows how much people really care,” said Kunst, a member of the Mayor’s Anti-Animal Abuse Commission.

On Thursday morning, elected officials, athletes and pets gathered in City Hall to officially announce the ad campaign. The ads feature local athletes and their pets and features messages such as "only a punk would hurt a cat or a dog."

The city hopes to reach impressionable boys with the message that animal abuse in unacceptable and doesn’t show how tough they are.  

“If you’re going to hurt a defenseless animal I feel those people are cowards,” said mixed martial arts fighter John Rallo during the press conference.

Rallo, along with Orioles centerfielder Adam Jones and Ravens linebacker Jarret Johnson, will appear in ads featuring the message that “only punks hurt animals.”

Lt. Col. Ross Buzzuro, the former , said Baltimore City police are committed to preventing the abuse of animals.

“Animal cruelty and abuse are crimes that are taken very seriously by the Baltimore Police Department,” Buzzuro said.

According to a press release, the campaign was organized by Sande Riesett, of Outlaw Advertising, with the abuse commission.

Corporate sponsors include , Fullmoon Marketing & Events, Kirk Designs, Inc., and Media Works, Ltd.

Follow North Baltimore Patch on Facebook and Twitter.