Post 4.10 - Penalties under Law
It seems that every day I go onto a news website -- even Facebook, for that matter -- there is a story about animal cruelty. And don't even get me started on those commercials with Wendy Malick and Sarah McLachlan. And the stories are nothing short of horrifying. I have read about puppies being burned alive, animals neglected and beaten, and even one story about decapitation. Sadly, the penalties in most US jurisdictions are virtually non-existent, yet experts agree that perpetrators likely have serious emotional or psychological problems. Beyond donating to the local and national charities that work on these issues, it is important that animal lovers of all stripes get involved by engaging their representatives. In 2010, public outcry in North Carolina led to " Susie's Law ", which increased the penalties for animal cruelty (defined as "malicious abuse, torture, or killing") to a maximum 10-month jail sentence. The law was named for a now 1-year-old pit...