Alabama Animal Abuse Bill Draws Criticism From Animal Rights Groups
Working animals and animal enterprises would be regulated by the Department of Agriculture and Industries.
An animal abuse bill moving through the Alabama house is drawing criticism from animal rights groups.
The new legislation would give the State Department of Agriculture authority over the regulation of animal enterprises and working animals.
The bill would also bring criminal charges against false complaints of animal cruelty: if no evidence of abuse is found during an investigation, the person who called in the complaint would be charged with a class C misdemeanor. Charges could result in jail sentences of up to three months and fines of up to $500.00.
Steven Tears, of the Montgomery Humane Society, estimates they receive around 4,000 complaints of animal abuse every year, with 40 percent of them legitimate reports of abuse. To make it where a complaint could result in a charge “would be catastrophic,” according to Tears.
According to animal rights groups, the bill would strip animal rights groups of their power.
Species Unite
A collection of stories of those who fight the good fight on behalf of animals.