Wayne County Ups Budget To Fight Growing Animal Cruelty Cases, Ties to Family Violence

Wayne County added $5.9 million to its prosecutor's office funds, pushing the total to $66.7 million for 2025-26. The increase comes as Michigan grapples with a sharp 55% rise in cases of animal abuse since 2021.

Starting October 1, the new funds kicked in. Prosecutor Kym Worthy pushed for the extra cash during her September pitch to county officials. "Animal abuse cases are critically important because it's a part of family violence," she stressed to the Wayne County Commission.

Detroit's police force wants better ways to catch animal abusers. They're joining forces with three key groups: the prosecutor's office, Michigan Humane, and Detroit's Animal Care. Together, they'll build stronger cases against those who hurt animals.

Cpl. Dan Donakowski spoke about what's next for police training. Officers will soon learn new methods to catch and track animal abuse in their daily work. Cases might now turn into bigger investigations.

This shift marks a turning point. The county now sees clear links between hurting animals and hurting family members. With more money, prosecutors can chase more cases and build stronger evidence against abusers.

Last year's budget sat at $60.8 million. The fresh injection of funds gives prosecutors a solid 10% boost to tackle these tough cases head-on.