Animal Abuse Laws and Animal Rights

Anyone who wasn't lost on a deserted island knew about the terrible animal abuse Michael Vick was convicted of in 2007. The dog fighting accusations swarmed over the air waves like bees racing home to protect the hive. Animal abuse doesn't even come close to what he did to his under performing dogs. The dogs had no animal rights, in his view and he disposed of them in unimaginable ways. He shot some, electrocuted one dog by clamping battery cables to her ears, hooked them up to a battery and then tossed the dog into his swimming pool. Others were hanged, strangled, drowned and one dog was killed by slamming him on the ground. For fun and enjoyment, he used pet dogs for practice as "bait dogs" for his prized fighters to make them even more aggressive. These dogs didn't have a chance and their fate was an ugly end to dogs who should have been in loving homes, safe from the likes of Vick. These dogs suffered horrific acts of violence against them. Vick's punishment for his mindless torture and cruelty towards his dogs was 23 months in prison, a $5,000 fine and three years probation after being released from jail. He was also banned from owning dogs ever again, but it probably won't stand and he'll be allowed to get another dog at some point in time. His cruelty towards animals shows he needs counseling and not another dog.

Every state has laws against animal cruelty and the laws differ from state to state. Depending on the state and the degree of abuse suffered by an animal, it's considered to be a misdemeanor or a felony and a conviction can be anywhere from a $100 fine up to $50,000 maximum fine or 10 days in jail up to three years. There is no Federal animal welfare law on animal abuse that supersedes state laws. The 1966 Animal Welfare Act only provides guidelines for minimum standards of humane care, handling, transportation and treatment of animals and is suppose to make sure animals receive adequate food, water, shelter, vet care, separation according to species and protection from the elements. This includes puppy mills, cat and dog breeders, zoos, circuses, roadside menageries and people who transport animals. This act, however, does nothing to protect animal rights and the requirements for animals kept in cages is just enough room they can turn around.

Hurricane Katrina opened the eyes of rescuers who discovered people would rather stay with their pets than be pulled to safety if it meant leaving their pets behind. To those of us who love our pets, abandoning a pet in their time of need is animal abuse. It doesn't matter if it's done by well meaning rescuers or an irresponsible owner.

Many of us remember the heartbreaking story of one Katrina survivor - a little boy who tried to board a bus with his little white dog named Snowball. The dog was ripped from his arms by a policeman and tossed back onto the street. The boy's tears and frantic cries for his dog broke our hearts as we witnessed the heartlessness of some of the people in charge. There have been reports claiming Snowball was found, but no one has been able to verify that information. In the days following Katrina, rescue organizations combed flooded streets and homes in search of pets who had been left behind. They managed to rescue 15,000 pets, but so many more perished because there were no evacuation plans set up that included pets.

Since then, government officials have finally figured out the importance pet owners place on their pets and the importance of animal rights. In the aftermath of Katrina, the Pets Transportation Standards Act was passed and added as an amendment to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. This legislation requires FEMA to include service animals and household pets in their planning when preparing for evacuations and shelters, before, during and after natural disasters or any major emergency. Florida, Hawaii, Maine, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey, New York, California, Illinois, Connecticut, Texas, Virginia and Nevada have passed laws or revised policies allowing pets that are service animals or household pets access to public transportation during emergencies and requiring accommodations for pet owners and their pets in shelters during emergencies. To find out more about what your local emergency plans are for pets, you can contact your city or county government for details. If there are no plans in place, check with your local shelter or other pet organizations to work with city or country leaders for an appropriate plan that will include the welfare of pets in emergency evacuation planning.

For the most part, states are beginning to understand animal rights and animal abuse laws need improvement. Some states have updated language that addresses domestic abuse or violence in a home. As of 2010, 17 states now give pets protection in domestic disputes by including them in restraining orders place on an individual who may want to use a pet to retaliate against an estranged spouse or during a domestic assault. There's plenty of evidence supporting a link between animal abuse and violence against people. During domestic disputes, pets are taken hostage far too often by one party or the other to get what they want, which is usually to control a situation and force a result they want regardless of what the other person wants. By allowing a judge to place a restraining order against someone who threatens to harm a family pet, controlling a victim with their pet is taken away from the person making those threats. Woman who escaped an abusive relationship often times go back because of threats against a pet who was left behind or they never leave at all to protect a pet.

We've seen the ugly side of animal abuse from people like Michael Vick and insensitive rescuers who violated animal rights with each pet they refused to saved. To many of us, animals are not "things" that get left behind or tossed away like an old shoe. No one should be forced to abandoned their pet in an emergency and all animals should be given protection from those who would do them harm for fun or profit.

Domestic Violence and Pets: List of States that Include Pets in Protection Orders, animallaw.info

Animal Welfare Act, idausa.org
State Animal Cruelty Laws, ASPCA