What States Have Animal Cruelty Laws

Read on to find out why this issue, which deserves more attention than it is given, is often overlooked by law enforcement and where your pets are the safest under the law. As for law enforcement, it is usually left to the local police, although human investigators may also have law enforcement powers. However, as John Paul Fox noted on the Utah Humane Society website, there are few human investigators employed by SPCA and local humane societies. In fact, Fox is the only human investigator employed by the state of Utah. In Rhode Island, animal rights are enforced by the SPCA in collaboration with local animal control and police departments. In addition, the state went even further last May when it passed a bill to create a registry of animal abuse. The Humane Society of Hawaii goes a little further than the agencies that list the concerns; They will respond by citing specific laws regarding animal cruelty on their website. Laws are divided into county, state, and federal categories, which confer additional powers on the organization`s law enforcement efforts. The Montgomery County, Tennessee website describes state and local animal rights laws, including the fact that an animal is not tied up for more than eight hours a day. In addition, good Samaritans can help law enforcement maintain animal welfare by rescuing animals locked in hot cars.

Thank you for your comment. We understand your frustration with the lack of enforcement of laws against cruelty to animals. However, the laws have to start somewhere. With new animal cruelty laws that make it easier to prove animal cruelty, abuse, and neglect, these laws become more enforceable, so the hands of animal control officers are not bound by the law. Alabama is one of the few states in the American South to have mandatory veterinary reporting of animal cruelty. In March 2018, Emily`s law went into effect, which condemns dog owners who injure or kill a person in certain circumstances for crimes. Beginning Oct. 1, 2018, Florida cracked down on animal cruelty by introducing new laws that increased the severity of penalties for those convicted of crimes related to animal cruelty. The laws also included policies and procedures allowing shelters and similar organizations to return pets lost after natural disasters to their owners. Under the aegis of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the Louisiana Animal Control Advisory Task Force has clearly defined goals and maintains a registry of animal shelters and a shelter inspection program in addition to supporting local animal control efforts. The site`s resource page contains links to contact information for local and municipal officials, and also provides information about an app to report suspected abuse. In Wyoming, there are no laws to keep animals locked in a hot car, nor are there laws criminalizing sexual assault on animals.

However, the courts may order the confiscation of abused animals. Similar to Colorado, the Maine Department of Animal Welfare operates under the umbrella of the state government`s Bureau of Agriculture. As in many other states, the proposed procedure is to first call a local law enforcement officer and then involve a human officer, as local police may be able to respond more quickly to the situation. Michigan tightened its existing laws against animal cruelty this year. They have penalties for cruelty, neglect, fights, abandonment and sexual assault, and increased penalties for repeated animal molesters. I agree that the “living conditions” of these animals are terrible. Their short life is quite terrible, but these animals are also considered beasts of burden and are usually euthanized in a human way. It`s unfortunate, but that`s life. In Oregon, the second-best state in the country for animal cruelty laws, local law enforcement works with the Oregon Humane Society to address issues of neglect or abuse. The OHS website states that much of their work takes place in Multnomah County, but they have jurisdiction throughout Oregon. In New Hampshire, animal rights are enforced by local police and then referred to the Animal Industry Division on a case-by-case basis.

The state has several strict laws against animal cruelty, including mandatory court-ordered psychological assessments for animal molesters and mandatory bans for animals after sentencing. The Animal Cruelty Investigation Unit, under the auspices of the Texas SPCA, responds to concerns related to animal cruelty or abuse. The unit focuses on the largest counties in Texas and recommends contacting local law enforcement agencies outside of Dallas, Hunt, Kaufman and Van Zandt counties. While there are some ways in which South Carolina state law is effective in preventing animal cruelty (allowing veterinarians to report suspected cruelty, laws against sexual assault on animals), the state is surprisingly ineffective in other ways. .