It's about time some Arkansas lawmakers woke up. For a while now, there has been a movement in the state Legislature to make animal cruelty a felony in the state. We have supported those proposals, especially considering some fairly highprofile animal cruelty cases in the Texarkana area in the past few years. But so far the efforts have gone nowhere. Just last session, Sen. Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville, offered a bill that was extremely modest overall in an attempt to calm opposition from agriculture and animal husbandry interests, who fear more rigid laws could be used against standard practices in raising and transporting domestic and farm animals, and hunters who worried the law might be used against them. Madison's bill specifically targeted deliberate cruelty - not hunting, which serves both valid recreational and conservation purposes - and exempted practices common on farms, ranches, breeding operations and legitimate research. Selfdefense or the defense of others as well as common veterinary practices were also exempt from the law. The bill died in committee. Now, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel is working with advocates to prepare an animal cruelty bill for the next legislative session, to begin in January. The bill will make it a felony to torture or intentionally abuse an animal. The bill also elevates cockfighting to a felony - dogfighting is already a felony in the state. We wholeheartedly endorse this move. It's impossible to imagine what kind of demented individual would find any pleasure or excitement in abusing an animal or watching animals engaged in fights that usually end in bloody death. We have no sympathy either for the organizers of any form of animal fights in order to make money on those who enjoy and gamble on such sick "entertainment. "We will also be glad to see harsher penalties for those who starve and neglect animals in their care. Making first offense animal cruelty a felony is an idea long overdue in Arkansas. Anyone who loves animals or just the concept of common decency should let their representatives and senators in Little Rock know exactly where they stand. This is something that should not be put off until the next session. Or the session after that. Or the one after that.
- Texarkana Gazette
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