Do you know how many animal abuse cases have taken place in the Lehigh Valley since the year 2000?

According to Pet-Abuse.com, from 2000 to 2014, a total of 318 animal abuse cases were reported. On average, only three in seven cases of animal cruelty will be reported.

Many people do not report animal abuse because they do not want to get involved with the police. As an animal lover, I am advocating for all citizens to take action and report animal abuse cases right away.

Animal abuse and neglect is an issue that has been around for a long time. Various programs and corporations are working to solve the problem. Some of the programs include the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA), Humane Societies and the World Animal Protection Act. There are many organizations and groups willing to help, but they cannot do anything unless that first person calls in the abuse. Although witnesses are sometimes scared or worried about reporting a case, a caller can always remain anonymous.

I work at Cherryville Animal Hospital and we see a lot of different animals with different stories, but one story was just heartbreaking.

We had a special case come about which the police were notified. It involved a neglected dog brought to our hospital for care. Her name is Cecelia and she is a mixed breed, possibly a German shepherd mix.

Cecelia was brought to us on May 10, 2013. She weighed all of 25 pounds and was nothing but skin and bones. She had been left outside her owner's house with no food, water or shelter. She was tied to a pole with a short leash on a cement slab.

Cecelia had been left to die. She had open cuts and bruises along with some tumors. She had sores on her paws and behind from sitting and standing on cement over a long period of time. Cecilia was dirty, infested with fleas and had various types of tapeworms. She was never spayed which caused long-term health effects.

We estimated her to be over nine years old. She has serious arthritis in her hips and joints.

She loves people and is a very caring and lovable dog who had a bad owner. The owner was taken to court and tried for animal abuse and neglect. He was found guilty and Cherryville Animal Hospital was awarded custody of the dog.

Cecelia is now living with us at the hospital, and is back to her normal weight of 60 pounds. She still has a lot of health issues but she is under close observation. She stays back with the boarding dogs at the hospital so she is never lonely, and when we have free time, we bring Cecelia to the front to play, get treats and be loved.

Animal cruelty and neglect is a serious problem and needs to be handled right away.

"In 2013, we investigated 11,135 reports of cruelty or neglect and achieved 131 convictions against abusive and neglectful pet-owners," according to the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website. Out of all of those reports, only 1.2 percent resulted in convictions on charges of animal abuse and neglect.

Please do not assume someone else will see the suffering animal and will do something about it. Be that first person to call it in because odds are if you do not, no one else will. Make that animal's day better by saving its life. Give the animal a better home and make its owner pay for cruelty. Make a difference and be the first person to change and save a life, like Cecelia's.

LeAnn Makowe is a student at Kutztown University who works part time at Cherryville Animal Hospital, Lehigh Township.