RALEIGH, N.C. — The plight of a dog set on fire and left to die spurred an effort to make sure that people convicted of animal cruelty in North Carolina can spend time in jail.

Susie's Law, or House Bill 1609, reclassifies the "malicious abuse, torture or killing" of an animal as a Class H felony. That increases the penalties for animal cruelty to a maximum 10-month jail sentence.

The law is a named after Susie, now a 1-year-old pit bull-shepherd mix. As a puppy, Susie was beaten, set on fire and left to die. Susie survived, was rescued and has been adopted. She lost her ears, though, and still bears scars.

Lashawn Whitehead, 21, of Greensboro, was convicted of felony cruelty to animals and sentenced to probation.

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Now if all states would pass tougher laws, maybe animal cruelty cases would decrease, too.