Every time I think I’ve heard something that ranks at or near the top of the list for the most idiotic actions of all time, something else enters the contest.
This time it’s in Virginia, where some elected official or officials has introduced a bill that could remove protects for abused animals and could even allow convicted abusers to continue to engage in cruel acts. I notice this story posted on The Daily Progress website does not identify the person or persons who are sponsoring the bill. I guessing the writer just didn’t want to name names in this case.
It would be on the order of naming an individual who glued his mouth shut because he thought the Crazy Glue was a tube of toothpaste. Or maybe not naming the guy who didn’t want to buy a ticket for a non-stop flight because he thought that meant the plane would never land anywhere.
So get this, this bill (HB 2482) would do the following, as reported by The Daily Progress –
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– Allow animals to remain with a suspected abusive owner until the case comes to court.
– Allow animals to remain with a convicted abusive owner for at least 90 days after being ordered by a court to give the animals up.
– Eliminate existing options that can prevent convicted abusers from owning companion animals in the future.
– Eliminate a prohibition that convicted abusers cannot sell or trade companion animals.
– Eliminate the requirement that suspects be bonded to pay, if convicted, for the care of animals taken into custody.
“” “”
This is really a pro-criminal bill. This is really a pro-cruelty piece of legislation. Who could possibly decide, in the era of stories about Michael Vick’s dog-fighting ring and reports on the connection between those abuse animals and then people, to introduce a pro-criminal bill or one that allows for more cruelty?
I didn’t think anyone could jump ahead of the folks who want to overturn Prop B in Missouri, but this one takes the prize for the month.
PACK MENTALITY 
Posted by John Doppler Schiff on January 28, 2011 at 11:51 pm
I’m happy to say that this bill has been referred to committee for “further study”, where it will likely disappear. The backlash against it was tremendous. Let’s hope people remember that the next time Delegate Ware comes up for reelection.
Posted by Tom Grady on January 28, 2011 at 11:55 pm
Thank you for the update. I hope “further study” in this case involves a flushing sound.
How can anyone want a convicted abuser to be able to keep the animals he has abused for 90 days after the conviction? This is crazy.
Posted by John Doppler Schiff on January 29, 2011 at 1:22 am
The backyard breeders, puppy mills, pet stores, hoarders, and “vegans will steal your hamburger and your pets” conspiracy theorists all got behind this to pressure Delegate Ware.
The discussion at http://www.richmondsunlight.com/bill/2011/hb2482/ is a bucketload of crazy, and fairly representative of the people who support the bill. (The moderator there put them in their place quite nicely, by the way.)
Posted by Lian Martin-Hill on January 29, 2011 at 7:42 am
Why is it that something so obviously ethically and morally right ends up being a debate?? Money speaks, I guess these ‘elected officials’ are getting paid off by puppy Mill owners and such. Scum of the earth.
Posted by Update – Bill to protect animal abusers pulled in Virginia « PACK MENTALITY on January 30, 2011 at 10:05 am
[…] a bill that had been introduced in the Virginia state house that would benefit criminals and cut protections for abused animals has […]
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