As we prepare to close the book on 2009, here’s one good thing to remember about the year: On Feb. 4, Gov. Mike Beebe signed into law Senate Bill 77, which made animal cruelty a felony in the great state of Arkansas.
Most states had done this kind of thing long before we did, but better late than never.
Senate Bill 77 - also known as Act 33 - made cruelty to dogs, cats and horses a first-offense felony.
It also included a five-year sentencing enhancement for anyone convicted of torturing an animal in the presence of a child. For good measure, the law banned cockfighting.
Beebe signed it, but others such as Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, state Sen. Sue Madison of Fayetteville and state Rep. Pam Adcock of Little Rock led the way on this legislation.
Arkansans can feel better about their state because of this law. It’s worth noting that outsiders are feeling better about Arkansas, too.
Consider the California-based Animal Legal Defense Fund. The ALDF annually ranks the states by the strength of their animal protection laws.
Last year, Arkansas ranked among the five worst states on the ALDF’s list. This year, the ALDF tells us that because of our new animal-cruelty law, we’re up to No. 25 on their list.
Winning the approval of Californians, or anyone else for that matter, is not our primary goal in life. Still, it’s nice to see the Natural State get a little attention that doesn’t end with the words “worst in the nation.”
Arkansas has its share of problems spanning numerous categories - health, education and teen pregnancy, to name a few - that give our state a bad name. We applaud efforts to address these problems, because the solutions aren’t always clear, nor are they always cheap.
But when it came to the problem of animal cruelty, the answer was both obvious and cheap: The Legislature merely had to insist that animal cruelty be treated as a felony rather than a misdemeanor. Yes, there will always be people who abuse animals, but at least we know now that if they do it in Arkansas, it’s more likely that their crime will be answered with a swift smack upside the head rather than just a slap on the wrist. (We’re speaking figuratively, of course.
But there would be some justice if some abusers had to endure the same kind of pain and fear that they inflict on their victims. The ban on “cruel and unusual” punishments in the U.S. Constitution, however, prevents us from going there.)
Why didn’t we arrive at the felony law sooner?
Special interests and apathy got in the way. Under pressure from animal-rights activists and with cooperation from the farming sector, the Legislature finally got its act together.
Adopting stricter penalties for people who abuse animals makes Arkansas a better place for our fourlegged friends; in fact, it makes Arkansas a better place - period. To explain why, we can’t say it any better than McDaniel did on the day the bill became law: “We can protect animals, and we can stand up against those who commit heinous acts of torture against defenseless creatures. And it speaks to our better nature as to whether or not we are good enough and strong enough to stand up for those creatures and people who cannot stand up for themselves.”
Opinion, Pages 5 on 12/22/2009