LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — It's been nearly a year since Reba the bulldog was found trapped in a sealed plastic container outside a Las Vegas strip mall in extreme heat.
Her case pushed lawmakers to fight for tougher penalties for animal abusers, and Monday night, they passed a bill bearing her name.
WATCH | I went back to the volunteers who first helped Reba last July to hear what this news meant to them:
Carlos Herrara from Paws Patrol Las Vegas was one of the first to respond when Reba was found near Maryland Parkway and Katie Avenue.
"I will never forget this, you know. I mean, just driving up to the AutoZone, rushing in to get her, and then driving to the vet," Herrara recalled.
"There's no better way to remember Reba than, you know, with her law passing in her name," he added.
After a lengthy investigation, Issac Laushaul Jr. and Markeisha Foster were arrested in connection with Reba's death.
Right now, animal torture is a Category D felony that carries a maximum of for years in prison. Assembly Bill 381, Reba's Law, would upgrade that to a Category C felony with up to five years behind bars. If an animal died, that could go up to 10 years.
The bill now heads to Gov. Joe Lombardo's desk for final approval.
I also met up with Lindsey Pinapfel from Vegas Pet Rescue Project, the rescue that spearheaded the campaign to get justice for Reba.
"I sat up all night and waited, waited to hear and see where this was going, and I am beyond thrilled that the majority of our senators passed this bill," Pinapfel told me.
Reba's Law was passed in the last hour of the 2025 Legislative Session. It comes days after yet another dog died in Las Vegas — this one left in a cage in the desert heat, leading to the owner's arrest.
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Dog's death renews focus on 'Reba's Law' as legislative session nears end
"What's your message to those responsible for Reba's death, and other people who are committing similar crimes?" I asked Pinapfel.
"If you don't know how to take care of an animal, don't own one," Pinapfel said. "These are innocent lives that can't take care of themselves. It is hot."
Both Herrara and Pinapfel tell me Reba's Law is a step in the right direction for Nevada.
"Hopefully, we'll get the right officials elected and changes will be made," Herrara said.
As for the suspects in Reba's case, both Laushaul and Foster remain in custody and are due in court on Wednesday.
Laushaul's defense attorney is requesting that his case be moved to a different jurisdiction due to the attention on this case.
