More on Animal Cruelty

Today I just went into town to get some errands done, and came home to tend to my animals.

It seems that I am just targeting Canada, because I posted about a petition about animal cruelty there yesterday. I was just trying to get some more signatures for a good cause, wherever it might be.

Here is another in the US:
"This petition hopes to make animal abusers receive harsher punishment for their crimes. Although cruelty such as dog fighting is considered to be a felony, the consequences do not reflect those of a felony crime. If we could help prevent animal cruelty, we save the animals as well as ourselves. Many who abuse animals also become guilty of domestic violence against humans. Serial rapists and murderers have been shown to begin their acts of violence on animals. If these criminals were actually punished for animal abuse, rather than given a slap on the wrist, it would make a difference. When they know they can get away with abusing animals, its no longer a challenge, so humans are next. Not only that, but someone must speak for the animals, we are supposed to protect these precious creatures! If only we were as loyal to them as they are to us! Harsher punishment for animal abusers says it is NOT ok to harm animals, and if you do, you will pay a heavy price! Please be the voice for those who cannot speak for themselves! They would do the same for you! " From: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/harshpunishanimalabuser/

And one for just South Dakota, home base for many RVers;
"Make Animal Cruelty a FelonyTarget: South DakotaSponsored by: April B. Currently there are no provisons for felony charges on animal cruelty in South Dakota. People who commit such vicious deeds, such a mutilating a poor helpless puppy, need to be charged with felonies, in by doing so they will have to disclose that they are a felon and what they did. How many animal abusers work in pet stores because they didn't have to disclose that they injured animals in the past? Help me to save countless animals! "" From:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/6/make-animal-cruelty-a-felony

Also Spain: "Join us to protest the mutilation of 15 dogs in spain, and change the Law in Spain in order to make animal abuse a felony. I am sorry for disturbing you but we need as much support as possible to change the laws in spain after the brutal torture of 15 dogs.I beg you to simply add your name (Animal Concerns and/or other interested organizations) and send it to the address below. See details on website. Many thanks in advance: "
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/help-us-change-animal-abuse-from-misdemeanor-to-felony-in-spain.html

As you know I am from Britain, where the animals cruelty laws are very strict. From: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/08/20/un_american_about_animals/
"To measure how far ahead other countries are, we can first look at British animal protection legislation. British law makes it illegal to keep breeding sows in crates that prevent them from walking or turning around -- the way in which about four out of every five US sows are kept. In Britain, law does not allow veal calves to be denied adequate roughage and iron, as is common in the United States to help produce the gourmet veal often served in restaurants.

Nevertheless, it is not Britain but Austria that has the most advanced animal protection legislation. In May 2004, a proposed law banning the chicken ''battery cage" was put to a vote in the Austrian Parliament. It passed -- without a single member of Parliament opposing it. Austria has banned fur farming and prohibited the use of wild animals in circuses. It has also made it illegal to trade in living cats and dogs in stores and deems killing an animal for no good reason a criminal offense. Most important, every Austrian province must appoint an ''animal lawyer" who can initiate court procedures on behalf of animals.""

So it is not just Canada, it is all over. The point that I am trying to make is that the main problem in Canada seems to be that they don't have enough laws in force to convict all the abusers, just like many other countries. http://redstarcafe.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/failing-grades-for-canadian-animal-cruelty-law/

"There is an intrinsic link between battered pets and battered women and children. The likelihood that women's shelter personnel will encounter women and children who have been threatened by batterers using animal abuse as a weapon is high. This is because more families in America have pets than have children. Secondly, the majority of pet owners are themselves parents with children. Thirdly, 64.1% of households with children under age 6, and 74.8% of households with children over age 6, also have pets. Lastly, as many as 71% of pet-owning women seeking shelter at safe houses have reported that their partner had threatened and/or actually hurt or killed one or more of their pets; 32% of these women reported that one or more of their children had also hurt or killed pets. Battered women report that they are prevented from leaving their abusers because they fear what will happen to the animals in their absence. Animal abuse sometimes is used as a form of intimidation in domestic disputes.""

I have seen my pets tortured and killed, and I have been battered and suffered broken bones, so I know how these poor animals feel. They are only just getting laws in place for that. Before, it was just swept under the rug as a "domestic dispute".
I am just one person, saving one animal at a time, but I try to jolt the public into REPORTING any animal that is suffering. That is the way the system works.

". . . Saving just one pet won't change the world. . . but, surely, the world will change for that one pet . . . "

'Nuff for today.