Update (2/9/21): Unfortunately, House Bill 57 did not pass.
Paws Up!
October 14, 2020
To Kentucky Representative Chris Freeland for prefiling a bill that would amend KRS 525.135 to add animal neglect as a form of torture.
If you share your house with a companion animal, then you know how much your furry friend relies on you for sustenance, shelter, and veterinary care to live a happy and healthy life. Sadly, countless companion animals are abused every day. Their abusers may face minimal to zero penalties. This reality is hard to understand. Many individuals and lawmakers are continually fighting to change that. In 2019, The PACT Act was signed, creating the first federal legislation to combat animal cruelty relating to the egregious act of “crushing.” Anyone who is found guilty of participating in this horrific form of animal cruelty will face felony charges. The resources to adequately enforce animal cruelty penalties often are lacking, so in August 2020, Representative Neguse introduced The ACE Act. This piece of legislation would create a division within the Department of Justice.
In Kentucky, Representative Chris Freeland (R- District 6) is fighting for cats and dogs in his state by prefiling Bill Request 284 that would add neglect as a form of torture to the current law, KRS 525.135. If the amendment passes, anyone who confines a companion animal and allows them to suffer by withholding “food, water, adequate shelter, or life-saving medical care” may face a Class D felony. Sadly, this happened to a pit bull named Vee. She perished from starvation and dehydration after her owner abandoned her in a crate. The bill also specifies what acts are considered torturous and increases the penalty for first-time offenders from a Class A misdemeanor charge to a Class D felony.
Take Action: Please help create a more humane world for companion animals by supporting legislation to increase animal cruelty penalties. Kentuckians, thank Representative Freeland, and stay up-to-date on actions regarding Bill Request 284 by following the LRC TweetBot.
Learn ways to prevent animal cruelty by downloading our free brochure.