State Senator Patty Ritchie today was honored with the ASPCA’s “Humane Leadership Award” in recognition of her efforts to save animals from abuse.

The award was presented during “Voices for Animals” day at the State Capitol in Albany, an annual event that draws hundreds of animal lovers from across the state.

The group singled out Senator Ritchie for a new law she sponsored last year that cracks down on dog fighting by making it a crime to possess animal fighting equipment.

Pictured with Senator Ritchie are, l. to r., Bill Ketzer, state legislative director, ASPCA; Brad Shear, executive director, Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, and Nancy Perry, senior vice president of government relations, ASPCA.