I know it’s at the end of the month but I need to point out that April is “Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month”.    People are urged to take time this month to educate themselves on animal welfare, existing animal cruelty laws, and what animal issues are pending in the state’s legislation.    I intentionally waited to the end of the month because I believe this needs to be an on-going, year-long thing.   One person for one day is a start, but it’s certainly not enough.   I write this from the weather office.   Odd place, I know.   The reason is simple, this is where I work and this is really the only place I take in a day’s full of news.  I’m normally busy during most newscasts (creating graphics/monitoring current conditions and forecast models) so I don’t really pay too much attention to what’s going on in the news.   The only time I find myself breaking away from my work is when a story about animal abuse comes up.   It seems to be something that pops-up once every two weeks (not an exact count but that’s what it seems).  From the shelter break-in in Grayson County to the story of two kids picking up a neighborhood cat and dropping it in a yard with two aggressive dogs (no need to go on with what happened next).  It really does sicken me. I know a few years back, Kentucky passed Romeo’s law which makes it a Class D felony to torture a dog or cat unless it is a first offense and there is only physical injury that is not serious.  More on the bill: 

Kentucky passed Romeo’s law which makes it a Class D felony The crime would be punishable by a sentence of 1-5 years in prison. Currently, torture of a dog or cat is a Class A misdemeanor on the first offense punishable by no more than a year in jail and a Class D felony on the second and subsequent offenses. KRS § 525.135  "Torture" is define as the intentional infliction of or subjection to extreme physical pain or injury, motivated by an intent to increase or prolong the pain of the animal."

Cruelty to animals otherwise is no more than a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to no more than 1 year in jail.  KRS § 525.130  Animal fighting is a Class D felony. KRS § 525.125 punishable by a term in prison of 1-5 years.   

According to the website, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, this is still not enough.  Kentucky remains in the bottom five in the U.S. in terms of animal rights.   

Here are a couple of links to go along with Romeo’s Law. 

http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stuskyst525_125.htm 

http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1142 

This is just a first look at things around here…I’ll start digging deeper into this as well as other pet topics that I come across.   I just wish we can start thinking that cruelty is exactly that…cruel.   What goes through the mind of someone who feels the “fun” in the torture, death, or even neglect of an animal?  The last one, I know, is a touchy subject since some neglect may or may not be intentional…but that’s something I’ll dive into at another time. 

Todd