This assignment I got to write about something that is near and
dear to my heart, harsher punishment on animal cruelty. I am an animal lover
and have 6 dogs of my own that I treat as if they were my kids, so writing this
project had is difficulties. I first researched cases that were happening here
in town and what the AZ laws are on animal cruelty, I then researched the
places that had the toughest punishment in the United States. I then had to do
the hardest part and counterargument what I thought is the way it should be.
But while doing this assignment and looking at the counterarguments it helped
to understand that by doing counterarguments it helps you really back up you
claim. After I got all the facts I sat down and fast wrote my first “shitty
draft”. Once I was done I walked away from it for 2 days and then came back to
read what I had wrote. I then really focused in on getting all the facts
together in the correct paragraphs so it was easy for the reader to follow and
understand. I then had a family member read the paper and help me to fix the
areas that needed work. This assignment really helped me to understand why
researching both sides of the subject is so important. Once you do that you can
really help the reader understand your opinion on the matter.
Jennifer Warnock
English 101
Professor Hollie Villanueva
Doggone unfair laws
Some people are big animal lovers and treat
their animals like their own family. But some people don’t see things the same
way. In Yuma there have been many cases just in the past year of times animals
have been treated unfairly. The animals have been starved, shot, left in cars
in the heat and not been treated when sick or hurt. If these things were done
to a child or even an adult the laws would be harsh for the accused. When it
comes to animal it is considered at the most either a class 1 misdemeanor or
class 6 felony depending on what the crime to the animal is.( Arizona State Legislative,2015)“The presumptive sentence for the first
time offender is 1 year, with a 6 month minimum, though the severity of the
crime can increase imprisonment for the first time class 6 felony offender to
1.5 years and up to 2 years for an aggravated class 6 felony. Mitigating
circumstances can reduce the sentence
to 4 months. The presumptive sentence for the first time offender is 1 year,
with a 6 month minimum, though the severity of the crime can increase
imprisonment for the first time class 6 felony offenders to 1.5 years and up to
2 years for an aggravated class 6 felony. Mitigating circumstances can reduce
the sentence to 4 months.”(enlighten
me, 2015). These laws are so much lighter compared to
someone that has abused a human.
A case that recently happened here in Yuma a dog was shot in the face
and left in the desert. The person who is accused of doing this is the roommate
of the owner of the dog. He had become angry because the dog had made a mess so
he drove the dog out to the desert and shot her in the face and attempted to
bury her. The dog later died but it is unclear if it was from the gunshot. He is being charged with three felonies,
which are one count of disorderly conduct, one count of cruelty to animals and
one count of criminal damage. It has just been
released that they are working on a plea deal with him. (Yuma Sun,2015). This man may walk away with just probation after shooting an animal
for no reason and leaving if for dead.
In another
case this year in Yuma nine dogs were removed from a house in town. The dogs
were not being fed properly, not being treated for injuries; there are reports
of noises from the backyard of dogs fighting and a large amount of feces. All
of the dogs are expected to make a full recovery and be put up for adoption.
The owner is 19 charges but they are only misdemeanors and eight of those
counts were for animal abuse. (ABC, 2015)This lady is
only be charged with eight counts of animal abuse when there were 9 dogs in the
house.
There are a
few other animal abuse cases in Yuma this year that are still not solved. Two of the cases involved a 3month old German
Shepard mix and a female pit bull mix, both of them had been malnourished and
had to humanly euthanized. The puppy was
found by a trash can in a milk crate left to die. This are only two cases that
the people who are responsible for horrible crimes against animals that have
not been found.
The state
of Illinois is known to have the harshest laws for animal cruelty. If convicted
on cruel treatment the person will be charged with class A misdemeanor for
first time then class 4 felony. Cruel treatment
is described as, Sec. 3.01. Cruel treatment. No person or owner may beat, cruelly
treat, torment, starve, overwork or otherwise abuse any animal.
If convicted of aggravated cruelty they will be charged class 4 felony and then
any future violations will be class 3 felony. Sec. 3.02. Aggravated cruelty. No person may intentionally
commit an act that causes a companion animal to suffer serious injury or death.
Aggravated cruelty does not include euthanasia of a companion animal through
recognized methods approved by the Department of Agriculture.
If charged with Animal torture they will face class 3 felony. Animal torture is
described as Sec.
3.03. Animal torture. (a) A person commits animal torture when that person
without legal justification knowingly or intentionally tortures an animal. For
purposes of this Section, and subject to subsection (b), "torture"
means infliction of or subjection to extreme physical pain, motivated by intent
to increase or prolong the pain, suffering, or agony of the animal. No owner
may abandon any animal where it may become a public charge or may suffer
injury, hunger or exposure.(Illinois, 2015), Much
tougher laws than Arizona which shows the offender it is not okay to abuse
animals and that they will not just get a slap on the hand.
While there
are many people that think that animals are not the same as humans since a
human life is more significant than an animals. These animals don’t have a
voice to tell what happened or cry for help when it is needed. But once these
animals retaliate back towards a human that has hurt them they are to be put
down since they are a risk to the community.
How is it okay for us to abuse them but not for them to be able to
defend themselves?
I think that they should be treated with the
same dignity as a human. It is not okay to kill animals in a cruel way the same
as it is not okay to kill humans. I believe that abuse is abuse it doesn’t
matter if to an animal or to a human. If someone can watch an animal starve to
death, not help them when they are injured or even kill the animal, they are
capable of doing the same to a human. I think that animal abuse needs to be
harsher punishment not just a misdemeanor or class 6 felony. The people that
commit these crimes need to be punished to where they will not repeat the same
acts. It will also show everyone that it is not okay to do. I believe many states including Arizona need
to look at making harsher laws for those that commit animal abuse to any
animal.
Work cited
Arizona State Legislative, online July
2015
Enlighten me, online July 2015
Yuma Sun Plea offer being discussed in
animal cruelty case, Online July 2015
ABC news Yuma
woman accused of animal cruelty; 9 animals removed from the home, online April,
2015
Illinois Humane Animal Law, online July
2015
No comments:
Post a Comment