Spring 2005 Legislation

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2005:

The U.S. Virgin Islands on May 5 gained an anti-cruelty law,
after five years of negotiation and passage of two bills in nine
months that were vetoed by Governor Charles W. Turnbull, who favored
weaker penalties and fewer offenses, and opposed any restrictions on
cockfighting In final form, the bill exempts cockfighting, does
not permit felony prosecution of cruelty, and eliminates jail time
for neglect.

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin has thus far into 2005
signed into law bills that require animal shelters to sterilize dogs
and cats before adoption, require rabies vaccination of dogs and
cats using a three-year vaccine, and prohibit “remote control”
hunting, i.e. hunting with the hunter and prey not at the same
location.

Washington Governor Christine Gregoire is expected to sign
into law a bill permitting prosecution of animal neglect as a felony.
Unanimously approved by the state legislature, the bill was pushed
by Susan Michaels, who in 1992 cofounded the Pasado’s Safe Haven
sanctuary in memory of a severely abused donkey whose tormenters
recived only misdemeanor penalties. Michaels in 1994 won passage of
Pasado’s Law, one of the first laws in the U.S. to allow prosecution
of intentional cruelty as a felony. Similar laws have now been
enacted in most states.

Iowa Governor Governor Tom Vilsack is expected to sign into
law a bill mandating that hunting regulations be amended to reduce
the state deer herd by 25%. In the short run the bill may stimulate
hunting. In the long run, it accepts that falling participation in
hunting is a longterm trend. The bill cleared the Iowa House of
Representatives 97-3, and was unanimously passed by the Iowa Senate.

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has stated his intent to sign
into law a bill creating a state Dog & Cat Sterilization Fund,
supported by an income tax return checkoff. The bill was introduced
by state representative Gene Maddox, DVM.