The HSUS Applauds Alaska Senate For Passing Felony Animal Cruelty Bill

March 27, 2008

The Humane Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection organization, praises the Alaska Senate for unanimously passing legislation today that would make the most egregious acts of cruelty to animals a felony. The HSUS calls on the House to follow suit with swift action. As the law stands, Alaska is one of only six states with no felony-level penalties for malicious acts of animal cruelty.

S.B. 273, introduced by Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, would make it a felony offense to intentionally inflict severe or prolonged physical suffering on an animal, intentionally poison a pet or farm animal or intentionally kill an animal by decompression chamber. If made law, it would increase penalties for attending an animal fight to a Class A misdemeanor on the first offense and a felony on a second offense or subsequent offenses.

"The Alaska Senate sent a strong message that the serious crime of animal cruelty is a threat to community safety and will not be tolerated," said Michael Markarian, The HSUS' executive vice president. "We urge the House to act quickly to make Alaska the 45th state with felony-level penalties for the worst instances of animal abuse."

Facts:

• Felony animal cruelty laws exist in 44 states, Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
• States without felony animal cruelty provisions are Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, North Dakota and South Dakota.
• Animal cruelty is linked to violence against people. Violent criminals frequently have histories of serious and repeated animal cruelty.
• Research has shown consistent patterns of animal cruelty among perpetrators of common forms of violence, including sex crimes, child abuse, spousal abuse and elder abuse.
• The HSUS has been a leader in advocating for felony animal cruelty laws. Of the 44 states and territories with such provisions, 40 laws were enacted since 1986.
• The HSUS has 17,685 members and supporters in Alaska, or about one for every 12.5 households in the state.

For more information on animal cruelty and fighting, visit humanesociety.org/acf.

Broadcast-quality footage and animal fighting images are available at video.hsus.org.

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.