Animal Cruelty Signing Ceremony Caps Off Successful Utah Legislative Session for Animals

April 9, 2008

Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. held a signing ceremony on Tuesday for legislation that makes egregious acts of cruelty to pets a felony, capping off a successful legislative session for animals. The Utah legislature adjourned on March 5.

"By signing this bill into law, Governor Huntsman recognizes animal cruelty as a serious, violent crime worthy of serious penalties. We hope that Utah lawmakers will continue to look for more ways to protect their constituents' beloved pets," said Dave Pauli, The HSUS's Northern Rockies regional office director. 

The legislation celebrated on Tuesday, S.B. 297, is the culmination of a multi-year effort to get felony-level penalties for some forms of animal cruelty on the state's law books. In the 2007 legislative session, state lawmakers came close to passing "Henry's Law," but the session ended before two versions could be reconciled. Again, during a special summer 2007 legislative session, lawmakers tried to reach an agreement on the bill's language but were ultimately unable to reach a compromise. Henry's Law was named in honor of a Chihuahua-mix puppy who was maliciously placed in a 200-degree oven during a domestic dispute. S.B. 297 makes the torture of a companion animal a third-degree felony on the first offense.

Humane Society of Utah Executive Director Gene Baierschmidt, whose facility was host to the signing ceremony, said, "The majority of torture cases that we see involve dogs and cats, so this law will help prosecutors immensely."

The effort to increase penalties was supported by veterinarians, prosecutors, law enforcement, domestic violence organizations and animal advocates. With the governor's signature, Utah becomes the 44th state with felony-level animal cruelty penalties.

The Utah legislature also passed legislation prohibiting Internet hunting, a practice in which a person uses a computer to hunt an animal remotely, and legislation to make it easier for out-of-state veterinarians to provide aid during a state disaster.

Last year, state legislatures across the country passed 86 new laws for animals. The HSUS works with animal advocates and state legislators across the country to enact laws protecting animals from cruelty, combating animal fighting, halting wildlife abuse and more. 

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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.