Arkansas Creates Animal Cruelty Law
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The state of Arkansas recently added legislation that will make aggravated cruelty of animals a felony. The lawmakers’ hopes were that the bill would end cockfighting and also put an end to the battle that has been waging on between animal rights activists and farmers and hunters. For a first offense of animal cruelty, the offender can receive a $10,000 fine and up to 6 years in prison. An additional 5 years are tacked on if the offender tortured an animal in the presence of a child.
Arkansas is one of 46 states that has legislation regarding inhumane treatment of animals. However, it has a loose definition of cruelty. The lawmakers are still working to rectify this, but in the meantime, several issues have been resolved. For example, animal rights activists and “pet police” are no longer allowed to make arrests. The arrest must be made by an official law enforcement officer. For more information, contact your lawyer today!