Cracking Down on Animal Cruelty...

By a vote of 71 to 26, the Indiana House of Representatives passed H.B. 1258, which strengthens our state's animal cruelty laws. The bill was introduced by Rep. Linda Lawson, R-Hammond, and will give law enforcement agencies the tools they need to crack down on animal cruelty as follows:

--Requires pet stores to provide information to customers about the animal's history
--Requires shelter that protects horses from the elements
--Makes the promotion of a dogfighting or cockfighting event a predicate offense under the racketeering statute
--Makes it a Class D Felony to attend a dogfight or cockfight.

The House is now urging the Senate to pass this piece of legislation quickly: "..we have worked hard to make this bill acceptable by members on both sides of the aisle," Lawson said, .."we hope now the Senate will join us in sending a message that Indiana is not a safe haven for those who abuse, mistreat or fight animals."

Anne K. Sterling, Indiana State Director for the Humane Society of the United States says: "we applaud legislators for taking action to crack down on the entire cast of characters involved in animal fighting, and to protect pets and consumers by ensuring that people have information regarding the origins of puppies in pet stores."

Best Friends applauds them too!

(From http://www.humanesociety.org/)

Indiana Works to End Animal Cruelty

(from http://www.humanesociety.org/ and http://www.in.gov/)


Animal lovers everywhere can rejoice in the actions of
Indiana’s House of Representatives. Within this past week, and with strong support of The Humane Society of The United States, they have approved a bill that will strengthen laws against animal cruelty and neglect.

The law would require retail pet stores to provide the history and health information to each person that purchases a dog or cat. It would also require that each pet store pass on a copy of the sale form to the board of animal health.

This law is not just looking out for all of the cats and dogs that are sold from pet stores. The bill would also require all horse owners to provide access to a shelter that would protect them from the elements.

Last, but not least, this law would make it a Class D felony to attend a dogfight or cockfight.

Rep. Linda Lawson, who introduced H.B. 1258 to Indiana’s House of Representatives, says “we hope now that the senate will join us in sending the message that Indiana is not a safe haven for those who abuse, mistreat or fight animals.”

Read more about this new law at www.in.gov/legislative or http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_release