Recently, a couple on Long Island, New York were charged with animal abuse. Two puppies were beaten to death and another to near death.
The type of sentences these two individuals may receive remains to be seen, but all animal lovers and animal welfare advocates must speak up to demand that animal abusers in all 50 states receive harsher penalties for their brutality against innocent animals.
North Shore Animal League America is seeking tougher penalties in New York and other states across the country for those who commit such horrible acts of abuse. We were heartbroken when we learned that the first puppy who was beaten to death, Tucker, was adopted from our organization.
Although animal cruelty laws now include felony provisions in all 50 states, the penalties vary widely, and stiffer penalties may depend upon whether the abuser has a previous animal cruelty conviction. It's still possible for some animal abusers to only be charged with a misdemeanor.
Contact your state legislators to strengthen and enforce animal cruelty laws by:
- increasing prison time
- increasing fines
- mandating the forfeiture of animal victims by these individuals
- banning the future "ownership" of animals by these individuals
- Requiring psychological evaluation and counseling for these individuals
Sign the petition to tell your state legislators to toughen animal cruelty laws in every state. We hope you stand up and join our fight to protect more animals from cruelty.Dear Representative:
The recent New York case of two two dogs beaten to death and a third beaten to near death serves as a grave reminder of the immediate need for states to strengthen their animal cruelty laws. Under New York law, for example, those who brutally and sadistically beat and kill animals could receive only a maximum penalty of two years in jail.
As an animal lover and animal welfare advocate, I strongly urge you to support stiffer felony penalties for aggravated animal cruelty. Perpetrators of abuse against all animals—not just companion animals—should be punished with longer imprisonment terms and higher fines. Moreover, they should be required to forfeit their animal victims and undergo psychological evaluation and counseling. Convicted abusers should also be banned from future ownership of animals.
In fact, the FBI now recognizes the seriousness of animal abuse crimes and has made animal cruelty a top-tier felony in order to better track these crimes. In addition to the terrible suffering animals subjected to aggravated animal cruelty endure, there is significant documentation demonstrating the link between cruelty to animals and violence against humans.
Victims of animal abuse need your help. Please make it a priority to pass legislation to strengthen animal cruelty laws so that people who torture animals are held more accountable for their brutality.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
