The law has been largely backed by state rep Todd Stephens. While he believes that protecting animals are important, he also thinks that inflicting harsher penalties on animal abusers could protect people too. He says “The data shows strong links between those who abuse animals and those who abuse children or commit acts of domestic violence.”
Stephens is completely right. A study by the American Humane Society showed that 88% of homes charged with animal abuse also dealt with domestic violence of some kind. Myriads of other organizations such as Michigan State University back this up with other reports.
This new law isn’t just for dogs and cats. It expands the definition of “pet animal” to include all animals including fish, birds, and agricultural animals (unless they’re being killed for consumption.)
The law doesn’t stop at blatant acts of cruelty. It includes several penalties for acts of neglect as well. For example, it’d be illegal to leave a dog tied up for longer than nine hours. Owners could also get into legal trouble if the dog doesn’t have access to a shed to escape the sun or clean water.
The law goes into effect on August 28th. Hopefully, there will be a decline in human on animal violence or at least an increase of people paying the price for abuse.