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Gov. Martin O’Malley has asked the state’s attorney general to review Maryland’s animal cruelty laws to determine if they are sufficient to deter “heinous” crimes like the torching of a pit bull in Baltimore last month.

Last month’s death of “Phoenix,” a pit bull doused with gasoline and set on fire in West Baltimore, was followed by another animal torturing this week — that of a cat found chained and tied to a utility pole and severely burned by firecrackers. Animal Control officers found the dead cat Wednesday on the 3700 block of Lewiston Ave.

“We must communicate to our young people that cruelty to animals is not acceptable behavior,” Olivia D. Farrow, interim commissioner of the Health Department, said in a statement. The health department has asked that witnesses to the cat torturing, as well as any dog fighting or animal abuse, call 311, the city service line.

Gov. O’Malley said he has received hundreds of e-mails and letters about dog fighting and the case of Phoenix, according to a story in today’s Baltimore Sun.

He said he was “deeply disturbed and saddened” by what happened to Phoenix, who died three days after she was found ablaze.

Baltimore police have charged two teenagers in the pit bull case. Police believe Phoenix was involved in dog fighting.

Under Maryland law, aggravated cruelty to animals through torture, beatings or dogfights is considered a felony punishable by up to three years in prison and $5,000 in fines. Abuse or neglect of an animal is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days and $1,000 in fines.

More often, though, offenders receive a “slap on the wrist,” according to Debra Rahl from the Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter: “It’s often looked at as just an animal,” she said. “We have so many other serious crimes happening in the city and state, so this is not taken as seriously.”

Here’s the full text of the governor’s letter to constituents:

Dear Friends,

Thank you for contacting me with your thoughts concerning dogfighting in the State of Maryland. In our home, we have three dogs — Lady, Rex and Winnie — that we consider part of our family and I appreciate hearing from you about this important topic.

Dogfighting is a violent problem in our state and across the nation. Often rooted in organized crime, dogfighting is a vicious blood sport that not only victimizes the dogs in question but is too often accompanied by other violent crimes that are linked with this criminal behavior.

Maryland has a comprehensive law designed to combat dogfighting, enabling the State’s law enforcement officials to pursue investigations and prosecutions in multiple ways depending on the facts and circumstances involved. Not only does Maryland not allow a dog to be used in a dogfight, the law in this State goes further, and prohibits any person from even allowing a dog to be used in a dogfight, through a third party for example, and also forbids any individual from arranging or conducting such a fight.

Maryland also prohibits any person from possessing, owning, selling, transporting, or training a dog with the intent to use the dog in a dogfight, and further prohibits any person from knowingly allowing premises under his or her control to be used to conduct a dogfight. Any of these violations are classified as a felony in this State, and carry a potential penalty of up to three years in jail, and a $5,000 fine.

Additionally, I am deeply disturbed and saddened by the recent burning of a pit bull in Baltimore City. The Baltimore City Police Department is working hard to investigate this violent and cruel act and bring the individuals responsible to justice. While it is unclear at the moment whether this case is related to dogfighting and whether these individuals can be prosecuted under Maryland’s dogfighting law, I have asked the Attorney General’s Office to look into the sufficiency of Maryland’s animal cruelty laws to determine if these laws need to be updated to prevent this kind of heinous crime from happening again in Maryland.

Martin O’Malley

Governor