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ESSENTIAL DESTINATIONS

MONTH: June 2007

Spring 2007 legislative sessions send pro-animal bills to the governors of 14 states

 

Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano has signed a bill requiring that engine coolant or antifreeze that contains more than 10% ethylene glycol must include denatonium benzoate, a bittering agent, to keep animals and children from drinking it by accident.

Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell has signed a bill, based on a model promoted nationally by the Humane Society of the U.S., that requires the state to include provisions for pets and service animals in disaster planning.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels on May 4, 2007 signed a bill which makes killing an animal to threaten, intimidate, coerce, or terrorize a household family member a Class D felony, punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of $10,000. The new law also makes sexual intercourse or deviate sexual conduct with an animal a Class D felony.

Iowa Governor Chet Culver on May 15, 2007 signed a bill prohibiting Internet hunting, in which hunters kill animals from distant locations using web cameras to spot their targets and a mouse-click to shoot. Model anti-Internet hunting bills have been promoted nationally in recent years by HSUS.

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley has signed a bill that bans chaining dogs outside and unattended in unsafe or unsanitary conditions, at least the third state-level legislative success for Dogs Deserve Better and other opponents of chaining. The offense was made a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to 90 days in jail. Before passing the bill, the Maryland Senate removed language from the original draft which specified that inclement weather is an unsafe condition, while the Maryland House of Delegates excised a ban on chaining dogs outside between midnight and six a.m.

Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman as of the end of May 2007 had signed bills making reckless animal abandonment a felony offense and banning Internet hunting. Nebraska became the 30th state to outlaw "Internet hunting." Still awaiting Heineman's attention was a bill to strengthen state regulation of commercial dog breeding.

Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons on May 23, 2007 signed into law a bill requiring that pets and service animals must be provided for in state disaster planning.

Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski on May 7, 2007 signed a bill similar to the Nevada law, requiring that care of companion animals, service animals, and farm animals must be part of emergency planning.

Washington Governor Christine Gregoire on April 30, 2007 signed a bill banning private acquisition of large cats, wolves, bears, nonhuman primates, alligators, and other potentially dangerous wild animals. The bill allows persons who already have such animals to continue to keep them, but forbids acquiring more.

Awaiting signatures from Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich at the June 2007 ANIMAL PEOPLE deadline were bills to ban "Internet hunting," based like the recently signed Iowa and Nebraska bills on the HSUS model.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush is expected to sign a bill that would increase the bond required for keeping dangerous wildlife from the present $1,000 to $10,000. The bill waives the bonding requirement if the animal keeper carries at least $2 million worth of liability insurance.

Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle is expected to sign into law a bill creating felony penalties for intentionally torturing, mutilating, or poisoning pets, including pigs as well as dogs and cats.

The Texas Legislature before adjourning on May 29, 2007 sent four animal protection bills to Governor Rick Perry. The bills increase the criminal penalities for dogfighting; extend the laws protecting cats, dogs, and horses to feral members of their species; introduce penalties for prolonged dog tethering, another legislative success for Dogs Deserve Better, if signed; and require that disaster planning must include plans for evacuating, transporting, and sheltering service animals and household pets.