Suffolk County District Lawyer Kevin Hayden a part of animal safety dialog
This previous week the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Advocacy Division and different animal safety organizations had been joined by Suffolk County District Lawyer Kevin Hayden on the Massachusetts State Home to supply a briefing to legislators and workers on payments referring to rising protections for animals in Massachusetts.
ARL’s Regulation Enforcement Division additionally supplied examples of circumstances they examine, challenges with the present legal guidelines, and the way these payments would assist maintain animals secure.
The laws mentioned included:
- 1190/H.1938: An Act enhancing the issuance of citations for merciless situations for animals, which might increase the variety of species coated by civil citations for cruelty
- 1207/H. 1914: An Act relative to the possession of pets by convicted animal abusers/An Act relative to a brief possession ban of animals for animal abusers, which might limit pet possession for repeat offenders
- 1277/H. 1934: An Act relative to the humane safety of animals/An Act stopping animal cruelty, which would offer non-criminal options to make sure animals are secure
For the latter, DA Hayden defined the necessity for a misdemeanor cost.
“Oftentimes now, persons are very reluctant to resolve a case as a result of it entails a felony conviction. Having a felony conviction in your file is way extra important than a misdemeanor offense, and so we get these circumstances that simply languish in court docket,” Hayden stated. “Persons are far much less more likely to admit wrongdoing regardless that they know they did it, regardless that they know they need to be held accountable.”
Get Concerned to Assist Defend Animals in MA
ARL will proceed to staunchly advocate for the passage of animal safety payments all through the 2025-2026 legislative session, and you will get concerned by studying extra about these proposed payments and contacting your elected officers to encourage their endorsement to maintain animals in Massachusetts secure.
To study extra about these payments and ARL’s different legislative priorities at our legislative agenda right here: https://www.arlboston.org/our-work/legislative-agenda/
