A statue honoring Molly, the ambassador for the Marion County Animal Abuser Registry, was unveiled near Ocala City Hall on Wednesday morning.
Sculpted by Nilda Comas, the statue memorializes Molly, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 15. Molly had suffered severe abuse at the hands of a previous owner.
Molly’s experience was the inspiration behind the Animal Abuser Registry, which is an ordinance that passed in 2016. The registry identifies any offender convicted of an animal abuse crime, allowing citizens, pet sellers, and rescue organizations to verify that they are not placing an animal with an abuser.
After being rescued, Molly lived out the remainder of her years with Lilly Baron, president of SPCA of Ocala. Baron attended this morning’s ceremony to commemorate her friend, and she was joined by several city, county, and state officials.
Molly’s statue is located in front of the City of Ocala’s Citizen Service Center at 201 SE 3rd Street, across from the Ocala Downtown Market.
For more information on the Animal Abuser Registry, visit the Marion County Animal Services website.