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Amended animal cruelty bill approved by panel
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU
CARSON CITY -- A bill to make the torture or malicious maiming of an animal a felony crime punishable by at least a year in prison was approved by the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday.
Members approved Senate Bill 223 after adopting amendments proposed by Metropolitan Police Department lobbyist Chuck Callaway.
Callaway had testified previously that the original version of the bill would produce a multimillion-dollar impact on his department because police officers, not animal control officers, would have to respond to many animal cruelty complaints.
Initially the bill proposed by Sen. Shirley Breeden, D-Henderson, would have made willful and malicious animal cruelty -- in which the animal doesn't necessarily die -- a felony. Callaway pointed out that first-time domestic violence, such as man beating a woman, would be a lesser crime, a gross misdemeanor.
Under the bill, the torture or maiming of an animal would be a class D felony, punishable by a one- to four-year term in prison, and a fine of as much as $5,000. Forty-four states now make extreme cases of animal cruelty felonies.
In addition, the amended bill would make it a class C felony, punishable by a one- to five-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine, to kill or torture an animal with the intention of terrorizing its owners.
Under the bill, a person who reports animal cruelty also could have his or her name remain confidential. This could be important in cases when a neighbor reports a neighbor, Callaway said.
He said the amended bill still would have a small cost for his department.
During a previous hearing, Washoe County animal control officers testified they expect only three to five cases of extreme animal cruelty a year would be punished as felony crimes.
Department of Corrections officials said earlier that no prisoner now is serving time for animal cruelty.
The bill was introduced through the efforts of Gina Griesen, a Southern Nevada woman who heads Nevada Voters for Animals.
Sen. Michael Roberson, R-Las Vegas, praised Griesen for her efforts and Callaway for coming up with a compromise that members could support.
Griesen wants to name the bill "Cooney's Law" in honor of a 3-year-old dog killed last year by her Reno owner. He gutted the dog with a large knife, saying he wanted to remove a mouse that had crawled into the dog's body. He received a misdemeanor sentence.
Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.
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@Steven R: Yes they are,we have several laws in place already. Watch as this law is used and abused far more than the original intent.
ARE YOU PEOPLE ALL NUTS?
A felony? As pointed out, this would be more serious than a domestic violence charge.
Are you serious?
we need this law to protect our animals
This proposal, (law) is a no brainer----prosecute people who abuse animals accordingly. Torture of an animal---SHOULD BE PROSECUTED AS A FELONY----with mandatory jail/prison time! G man---how would this "new law" adversely effect you? Unless you have the propensity to violate the law....!
I agree, more laws to conform to. BUT, in the case of animal cruelty, I agree that we need these laws to protect not only animals, but society from an individual that has no regard for humanity's closest companions with sociopathic tendencies that can lead to human suffering (Jeffrey Dahmer ring a bell?). Animal cruelty on these levels indicates that somebody has some serious issues, one of them being unable to control one's negative desires. It sucks that we have to enact laws to babysit people like this, but some things we just have to suck up and do for the good of EVERY man, woman, child and animal.
MORE LAWS !! more laws! more laws ! I am tired of laws being created that make us fall to our knees and conform ! We have been forced to conform to LAWS that are totally NOT Necessary ! A few in the commitee want it and a MILLION of us have to follow ! I am waiting for these fanatics to tell us that within one block as we are walking we MUST take 55 steps !!Sounds redundant ? The COMMITEE IS REDUNDANT !!