It took five years, but Ohio legislators have stepped up to the plate big time. Last week, it was officially signed and Nitro’s Law, as it is colloquially known, became official.

The bill makes it a fifth-degree felony for anyone who has a kennel to abuse in any way shape or form a dog in its care, whether that is simple neglect of not feeding or watering the animal or physical abuse.

Now, Ohio joins 45 other states in the nation that recognize and understand mistreatment of an animal will not be tolerated. People are tired of those actions and will not stand for it any longer.

The background is simple and tragic. The law came about after eight dogs were allegedly starved to death at a kennel. The kennel was paid close to $2,000 to board Nitro when his family had a medical emergency. When they went to pick him up, the kennel owner asked that the dog stay with him longer. Finally an animal activist organization investigated and found Nitro and seven other dogs dead and 11 more malnourished

It took a while for Ohio to pass this law. Some legislators had been campaigning for it for the past five years. But now the state had done what is right and every legislator who voted for the law, and, more importantly, worked to get it passed, should be praised.