Animal Welfare Laws May Increase in Pennsylvania

Paws Up!

To Senator Richard Alloway II and Senator John Eichelberger for working to improve animal welfare laws in the state of Pennsylvania.

In a recent news article, Senator Richard Alloway II proposed Senate Bill 373 and Senate Bill 78. S.B. 373, which would impose greater restrictions on animal tethering. The law would not allow owners to tether their dogs outside for more than 30 minutes when the temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. S.B. 78 would prevent immediate family members from applying for a kennel license if another family member has had one revoked. Senator John Eichelberger has proposed

If passed, Cordelia’s Law would include horses in the states animal cruelty statues, along with other companion animals.

Senate Bill 294, named Cordelia’s Law, after a horse who starved to death while being tied up in a junkyard. S.B. 294 would be the first bill in Pennsylvania to include horses in animal cruelty laws.

Take Action: Pennsylvania residents contact your legislators and petition that S.B. 373, S.B. 78, and S.B. 294 be passed into law. Non-residents, contact your state to see what types of animal welfare laws have been passed and express your support for laws that will grant animals more protection.

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

Animal abuser registries

Animal abuser registries could help protect animals like this one, a dog rescued, rehabilitated, and rehomed by our Briggs Animal Adoption Center.

Several states have legislation pending that would create animal abuser registries similar to child abuser and sex offender registries. An animal abuser registry would be for 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, keeping track of animal abusers would help protect not only the animals of a community but also the humans as well. 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 people who run puppy mills.

The following states have legislation pending:

Massachusetts HB 3682 and SB 876
Michigan HB 5402
Pennsylvania HB 354 and SB 921
South Carolina S 226
New Hampshire HB 526
Rhode Island S 2032

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, Feb 2012
Animal Abuser Registries, Jan 2011 

Wild and Exotic Animal Legislation in Ohio and Pennsylvania

Exotic animals, such as tigers, are not suitable pets.

Following the events in Zanesville, OH, many states are rushing to enact legislation that would ban the ownership of wild and exotic animals who are dangerous to humans. Ohio’s bill, HB 352, allows those who currently own these animals to be “grandfathered” in under the law and it also exempts traveling shows and circuses performing in the state that use exotic animals. The bill is in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Ohio residents should contact the committee leadership urging them to rethink the two provisions mentioned here and then to pass this legislation to the full House. Also, Ohio residents should contact their own representatives urging the same action.

The Honorable David Hall, Chair
Tele. No.: 614-466-2994
Fax: 614-719-6997

The Honorable Bob Peterson, Vice Chair
Tele. No.: 614-644-7928
Fax: 614-719-6985

Mailing Address:
House Agriculture and Natural Resources
Committee
77 S. High St
Columbus, OH 43215-6111

Pennsylvania’s bill, HB 1398, would impose a ban on private ownership of exotic wildlife and is currently in the Senate Committee on Game and Fisheries. Pennsylvania residents should contact the committee leadership to express their desire for swift action on this legislation as well as contact their representatives urging passage of HB 1398.

The Honorable Richard L. Alloway II, Chair
Tele. No.: 717-787-4651

The Honorable Charles T. McIlhinney Jr., Vice Chair
Tele. No.: 717-787-7305

Mailing Address:
Senate Committee on Game and Fisheries
187 Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120

Shelter Animals Deserve Better

While no one wants to see companion animals euthanized, we are all aware that shelters across this nation engage in euthanizing not only sick, disabled, and dangerous animals but also healthy, adoptable ones. As the last act of compassion for all these lives, we should be as gentle and caring as possible. Euthanasia by sodium pentobarbital or a derivative should be the sole means of euthanizing shelter animals.

Two states, Pennsylvania and South Carolina, have legislation pending that would change their laws to require the use of sodium pentobarbital or a derivative rather than compression or gas chambers or other means that do not immediately euthanize the animal.

Pennsylvania and South Carolina residents, contact your legislators and urge them to support legislation that will save many animals from terrible suffering.

Pennsylvania S 1329 – referred to Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs

The Honorable Elder A. Vogel, Jr.
Chair, Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Senate Box 203047
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3047
Tele. No.: 717-787-3076

The Honorable Michael L. Waugh
Vice Chair, Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Senate Box 203028
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3028
Tele. No.: 717-787-3817

South Carolina H 3114 – referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs

The Honorable Nelson L. Hardwick
Chairman
Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
411 Blatt Building
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
Tele. No.: 803-734-3022

The Honorable David R. Hoitt
First Vice Chair
Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
418B Blatt Building
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
Tele. No.: 803-734-3323

Animal Cruelty at Pennsylvania Farm

Photo by بنیامین آقاجون via Flickr

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service conducted an inspection in August 2011 at Triple F Farms where ferrets were being bred for both the pet store trade and research laboratories. The farm, located in Bradford City, Pennsylvania, was found to be in violation of the Animal Welfare Act.

Maintaining over 6,000 ferrets in the conditions mentioned in the agency’s inspection report constitutes animal cruelty of the most exceptional degree. For example, unlicensed personnel performing operations; cages, feeders, and water receptacles in disrepair, containing filth or simply empty; not enough employees to give animals proper care.

Mental health professionals and top law enforcement officials consider the blatant disregard for life and suffering an unquestionable warning sign for future criminal activity. The very important truth is that barbarous acts towards animals often lead to brutality to humans. The treatment of the ferrets at Triple F Farms, based on the inspection report, certainly constitutes barbarity. In addition, 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.

Please write to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service administrator requesting the service levy the maximum animal cruelty charges against the owners of the Triple F Farms.

Dr. Gregory Parham
Administrator
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
United States Department of Agriculture
USDA/APHIS/AC
4700 River Road, Unit 84
Riverdale, MD 20737-1234
Tele. No.: 301-734-7833
E-mail: ace@aphis.usda.gov

Accused Gets Sentence But…

Paws Up/Down!
To the district attorney and the judge in the Daniel Lee Clark case.

Daniel Lee Clark, Sr. of Clearspring, MD, was charged with 832 counts of animal cruelty after hundreds of pigs were found dead and abandoned on his property in Fulton County, PA, last year. He pled guilty to 10 counts with the remaining 822 being dropped. His sentence: a $2,500 fine.

We are glad Clark was charged in this case—abuse against farmed animals is rarely ever brought to justice— and give a paws up to District Attorney Travis Kendall for charging Clark. However, we are concerned DA Kendall dropped 822 of the charges in exchange for Clark’s plea and Magisterial District Judge Carol Johnson fined Clark a mere $2,500. The plea agreement could have had Clark receiving a maximum sentence of 900 days in jail and a fine of $7,500.

Farmed animals deserve humane treatment even though they are eventually destined to be slaughtered. It is the responsibility of the owner of farmed animals to make sure that his or her animals are safe. Clark told the judge that the pigs’ deaths were due to an equipment malfunction. Yet isn’t it his responsibility to make sure his equipment is in working or and to check his animals on a regular basis?

Take Action: Pennsylvania residents, write to both District Attorney Travis Kendall and Magisterial District Judge Carol Johnson expressing your thanks for going forward with charges against Clark but your regret that so many were dropped and the resulting sentence so weak.

Photo by George Chriss

 

Travis L. Kendall
District Attorney
126 North Second Street
McConnellsburg PA 17233

Carol Johnson
Magisterial District Judge
P O Box 171
8366 Great Cove Road
Needmore, PA 17238

 

 

 

 

Source:
http://www.therecordherald.com/