Animal Abuse Registries

Implementing animal abuser registries could prevent further cruelties to both people and animals.

Several states have legislation pending that would create animal abuser registries similar to child abuser and sex offender registries. An animal abuser registry would list individuals convicted of felony animal abuse or who committed certain violent offenses against animals.

Intentional animal cruelty is of particular concern as it is a sign of psychological distress and often indicates an individual may be predisposed to committing acts of violence toward humans. Since animal abuse is often an early sign of potential human abuse, tracking animal abusers would help protect not only the animals of a community but also the people. Therefore, creating and maintaining a registry of individuals convicted of felony animal cruelty can be an asset in identifying potential criminal behavior.

Many studies in psychology, sociology, and criminology have demonstrated that violent offenders frequently have childhood and adolescent histories of serious and repeated animal cruelty. Additionally, mental health professionals and top law enforcement officials consider the blatant disregard for life and suffering evidenced by all forms of cruelty to animals to be an unquestionable warning sign. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association identifies cruelty to animals as one of the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorders; and the FBI uses reports of animal cruelty in analyzing the threat potential of suspected and known criminals.

In addition, such registries could be valuable in tracking people who engage in illegal animal fighting, such as cockfighting and dog fighting; hoarders; and those who run puppy mills.

The following states have legislation pending:

Arizona – SB 1161
Connecticut – HB 5205
New York – S2305A
Hawaii – SB 0528
Oregon – HB 2394
Pennsylvania – HB 0265 and SB 0320
South Carolina – HB 3045
Vermont – S 0009
Virginia – HB 2242

NHES urges the citizens of these states to contact their legislators and encourage them to support a felony animal abuser registry in their state.

Related Posts:
Animal Abuser Registries, June 2012
Animal Abuser Registries, Feb 2012
Animal Abuser Registries, Jan 2011

Speak up for Those Who May Be Silenced

Unnecessary surgeries such as devocalization put dogs at risk.

New York State is considering a bill that would ban the devocalization of cats and dogs. Devocalization, also known as debarking, convenience devocalization, bark softening, vocal cordectomy, and ventriculocordectomy, involves removing tissue from the animal’s vocal cords to reduce the volume of the sound. A devocalized animal will still make sounds—just not as loudly. The sound is more hoarse, raspy, or husky in nature.

The surgery is performed in one of two ways: going in through the animal’s mouth or through an incision in the throat and then through the larynx. The first method is preferred but both have their risks. The removed tissue may grow back or scar tissue may develop blocking the throat. If either of these occurs, the animal has to undergo a second surgery. Bleeding and infection are other complications of this surgery. Another complication of the surgery, one not often thought of, is the new sound may be just as annoying as the old one—just not heard at as great a distance.

New York State residents, contact your assemblymen and senators and urge them to support A 3431/S 6167.

SOS

Without measures to prevent the trade of shark fins within its borders, the United States will still contribute to the millions of sharks killed every year for their fins.

While the practice of finning sharks is illegal in the United States, current federal laws do not ban the trade in shark fins. Therefore, shark fins can be imported into this country. Each year, millions of sharks are killed for their fins, mostly to make shark fin soup. The sharks are pulled out of the water, their fins sliced off, and their bodies returned to the ocean. This barbaric industry has depleted shark populations by as much as 99 percent is some areas, threatening the delicate balance in our marine ecosystem.

New York State and Maryland residents, please contact your legislators and urge them to support bills currently before them. In New York State, the bill is A 7707a/S 6431and in Maryland it is SB 465/HB 393.

Florida, Illinois, and Virginia residents, contact your legislators as well since similar legislation has been introduced in those states.

Hawaii, California, Washington, and Oregon have already passed legislation restricting the trade of shark fins.

Take Action Against Ag-Gags

Undercover investigations have successfully exposed many cases of animal cruelty, abuse, and neglect within factory farm operations.

Several bills that seek to penalize undercover efforts to expose animal cruelty are currently under review in New York, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska. Many of these bills have been in legislative rest since the 2011 session and are now coming under revision or amendment. All of them call for stiff penalties for undercover investigations concerning animal abuse in agricultural facilities; and some go further and extend that to other animal operations such as puppy mills. The Minnesota bill also criminalizes the act of exposing food safety and labor issues.

Animal cruelty must be exposed and dealt with and often that requires investigators have the freedom to gather information and document such inhumane acts. Investigative reporting has played a historical role in exposing wrongdoings, and undercover exposés have been vital tools for educating the public and lawmakers about the inherent cruelty in factory farming operations. Such reports surface all too frequently, including three since the beginning of this year and ten since the start of 2011. A strong example of this type of investigation was the release of footage from a North Carolina Butterball turkey farm which showed workers maliciously throwing birds against walls during transport loading, hitting birds in the head with metal bars, and birds living in filthy and fly-ridden conditions, some with serious yet untreated illnesses. Often these reports lead to legal action, as in the above example which led to felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty charges against five Butterball employees by state authorities.

Contact your representatives to urge them to oppose these bills; make sure to read over the bill for your state and tell them why you oppose it. If you are in one of the states below, this is a crucial time for you to articulate your voice to your legislators. If you are not in one of the states below, contact your representatives and let them know you will oppose any future ag-gag efforts in the legislature.

Iowa – HF 589
Indiana – SB 184
Minnesota – H 1369
Missouri – SB 695
Nebraska – LB 915
New York – S. 5172

Bears Keep Their Gallbladders

Paws Up!

To the New York State Legislature for approving a bill protecting the nearly 7,000 black bears living in the state of New York and to Governor Cuomo for signing it into law.

Photo by Mark L. Watson

Bears are being slaughtered in the name of medicinal cures for a variety of conditions, including diabetes and liver and heart diseases. However, non-animal alternatives exist to treat these conditions, so there is no need to kill these innocent creatures. The New York State Legislature sought to change the law and protect black bears from slaughter for their gallbladders and their bile.

According to a news article, “New York is one of only five states that doesn’t place any restrictions on the trade of bear gallbladders and bile, which is a component in some traditional Chinese medicine.”

The law, which goes into effect January 1, 2012, will prohibit the “possession, sale, barter, offer, purchase, transportation, delivery or receipt” of bear gallbladders or bile.

Take Action: New York residents, thank your legislators and the governor for protecting the wildlife of your state.

The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
Tele. No.: 518-474-8390

Source:

http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menugetf.cgi


http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/Bear-Bile-Gallbladders-Ban-Albany-New-York-125083079.html

Hoarding Is Horrendous

Animal hoarding is a particularly egregious form of animal abuse in that it is daily, unrelenting, and often goes on for years. Animals living in the home of a hoarder may experience unmitigated pain and suffering for their entire lifetime. In addition, humans living in the homes of hoarders may also suffer, especially children and the elderly.

Photo by NHES

Two state legislatures, New Jersey and New York, have before them bills that would create the crime of companion animal hoarding. There is no specific number of animals one may have that constitutes a hoarding situation; rather, it is the condition in which the animals live and the type of care they receive that may constitute the crime of hoarding.

New Jersey and New York State residents, contact your legislators to let them know you want the animals of your state protected. Both states’ bills are in committee so contact the chairs of the respective committees to seek a favorable vote on these bills and report them to the full legislature for a vote. New Jersey residents, also encourage your legislators to request mandatory counseling as part of the penalty phase for anyone convicted under animal hoarding laws as there is a 100 percent recidivism rate if hoarders do not receive such counseling.

Since only two states, Illinois and Hawaii, specifically target companion animal hoarding in their laws, the rest of our readers should contact their legislators and urge them to enact animal hoarding laws.

New Jersey
The Honorable Nelson T. Albano
Chair, Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
21 North Main St.
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
Assembly Bill A2694

The Honorable Raymond J. Lesniak
Chair, Senate Economic Growth Committee
985 Stuyvesant Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
Senate Bill S1170

New York State
The Honorable William Magee
Chair, Assembly Agriculture Committee
Legislative Office Building 828
Albany, NY 12248
Assembly Bill A00191

The Honorable Patty Ritchie
Chair, Senate Agriculture Committee
Legislative Office Building, Room 815
Albany, NY 12247
Senate Bill S03474

New York State Legislation Will Help Animals

Photo by Paul Anderson

Companion bills, S 5013 and A 7748, Senate and Assembly, respectively, would prohibit the operation of horse drawn carriages in the city of New York. NHES strongly supports legislative efforts to protect horses in the horse-drawn carriage business for both safety and animal cruelty reasons:
• The slow moving carriages pose a public safety issue for fire and ambulance vehicles and a physical inconvenience for all other city travelers
• The horses are subjected to all types of weather and of injuring themselves on ice-covered streets
• Exhaust fumes and pollution, along with poor care and housing, shorten the lifespan of these horses to not more than four years before they are sold at auction or sent to slaughter.

A second bill, S 5363, would establish new standards for the care of animals in government and private shelters. NHES strongly supports legislative efforts to protect animals who have been abandoned at government and private shelters. These animals have been tossed aside at least once and now deserve society’s best care until a new home can be found for them. By giving them a clean living environment and prompt veterinary care, they may become more adoptable. By giving an owner time to find his or her lost animal, more animals may be reunited with their families; and by not automatically euthanizing an animal because his or her holding period has expired, the animal has a chance for a new home.

New York residents, please write your legislators and ask them to support these bills.

Animals Have Advocates in New York State

Paws Up!

To the New York State Assembly for declaring June 1, 2011 Animal Advocacy Day in the state.

The New York Assembly voted to declare June 1, 2011 Animal Advocacy Day throughout the state. The resolution declares, “all living creatures have value and to recognize and appreciate the service, companionship, loyalty, unconditional love and happiness animals bring to the lives of New Yorkers;…[that] Animal abuse, cruelty and neglect result in unnecessary pain and suffering to animals;… [and that] It is vital that we encourage empathy and compassion for our companion animals and we provide a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

For all of us concerned with the care and welfare of animals, we believe advocating for animals at every level of government is important to their health, well being, and safety. Naturally, we would like every day to be Animal Advocacy Day, but we are grateful to the New York State Assembly for establishing at least one day this year to advocate for the animals.

Take Action: For New York residents, thank your legislators and Governor Cuomo for this public show of appreciation for the animals in your state.

For everyone else, how do you advocate for animals in your community? Is there a shelter that could use your time, talent, and dollars to make lives better for the animals in its care? Are there lonely dogs living in pens in your neighborhood who might like a walk around the block? If their owners agree, take the dog for a leg-stretching jaunt. Are there bills currently pending in your local and state governing bodies that require public support for passage? Become an advocate and “provide a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Source:
Resolution

Animal Abuser Registries

Paws Up!
To several states where bills have been introduced to create animal abuser registries.

Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington have all introduced bills to establish animal abuser registries.

NHES supports legislation that will create animal abuser registries for those convicted of felony animal abuse or who committed certain violent offenses against animals. The registries, modeled after sex offender and arson registries, would collect and publish the names of individuals who have been convicted of animal abuse within the state. If an offender moves to a state with such a registry, he or she would have to register with police within days of moving. Such registries can include the offender’s name, aliases, address, place of employment, nature of the offense, and photo. Such information would be posted online.

Keeping track of animal abusers would help protect not just the animals of a community but the humans as well. Animal cruelty poses a definite risk to a community and society as a whole. Intentional animal cruelty is of particular concern as it is a sign of psychological distress and often indicates an individual may be predisposed to committing acts of violence toward humans. Maintaining a registry of individuals convicted of felony animal cruelty will help protect the animals and humans of a state where such a registry exists.

Take Action: If you are a resident of these states, please contact your legislators urging them to support bills creating an animal abuser registry. If you are not a resident of these states and your state does not have such legislation, contact your legislators urging them to introduce legislation creating an animal abuser registry.

Carriage Horses in New York

Photo by Paul Anderson

Carriage horses live and breathe in congested traffic and automobile exhaust. At the end of their shift, they are penned up in small stalls that provide little space for movement or comfort. New York City is often thought of the place to go for a carriage ride, especially around Central Park. The joy the riders experience does not carry over to the horses pulling their carriages. Urge New York City Mayor Bloomberg to set an example for other cities where carriage horses live lives of deprivation and degradation; urge him to shut down the horse carriage industry in his city.

The Honorable Michael Bloomberg
Mayor
City Hall
New York, NY 10007

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