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PRESS RELEASE
RELEASE DATE: Immediately (January 23, 2007)
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Gene Baierschmidt
(801) 261-2919 phone
OR TO CONTACT SEN. GENE DAVIS: Brent Whitehead
(801) 326-1424

MORE THAN EVER! - HUMANE SOCIETY SEEKS PASSAGE OF FELONY-LEVEL ANIMAL TORTURE BILL

Why Utah needs tougher laws should be obvious because of the recent case involving Henry the dog, when Marc Christopher Vincent admitted to having chased and cornered his wife’s Chihuahuah-mix puppy with a leaf blower, putting out the dog’s left eye, and later placing Henry in a 200° oven for five minutes. Such unspeakable acts should not be tolerated in our society.

Therefore, the Humane Society of Utah is once again working with lawmakers in the 2007 session of the Utah State Legislature to try to pass a bill which would make the intentional torture of an animal a third-degree felony offense, as it already is in 41 other states, and also require the court to recommend psychological counseling for persons convicted of such crimes. The bill is being sponsored by Senator Gene Davis (D-Salt Lake).

Cycle of Violence

The proposed so-called "Henry’s Law" isn’t just a bill for people who care about animals. It’s for people who care about the kind of society we all have to live in. Those who have opposed similar legislation in the past - rural legislators all - fear that a felony-level animal torture bill would impinge on agricultural or recreational activities, but everyone connected with the bill has emphasized again and again that THIS IS NOT THE CASE. HSU Executive Director Gene Baierschmidt points out that ranching, rodeo, hunting, and similar activities are specifically exempted by the language of the bill, and Gene Davis himself says, "I’m a fan of rodeos and a supporter of the zoo. We’re talking about deliberately torturing an animal, putting a dog in an oven. No society should tolerate that."

The cycle of violence is a chain of circumstances in which an adult abuses a child or animal. The adult passes down the violent traits and patterns to the child, who continues the cycle of violence. Domestic abuse, child abuse, and animal abuse have a high level of correlation to each other, and this cycle will continue until someone steps in to stop it.

The Statistics Don’t Lie

The following statistics, compiled by the Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, bear out that claim:

• 68% of battered women reported violence toward their animals by their batterer. 87% of this occurred in the presence of the woman and 75% occurred in the presence of children.

• 71% of pet-owning women entering a shelter reported that their husbands or boyfriends threatened, harmed, or killed an animal. 32% of those admitted to the shelter said that their children had hurt or killed an animal.

• A survey of women in a Utah shelter found that 20% had delayed leaving the abusive situation out of fear that their pets would be harmed. Data currently being collected in Canada found that almost 50% delayed leaving for that reason.

• A 1995 Utah survey also found that children witnessed the animal abuse in more than 60% of the cases, and 32% of women reported that one or more of their children had hurt or killed a pet.

Furthermore, the Latham Foundation, a nationwide research group, recently published a treatise called "Breaking the Cycle of Violence: A Practical Guide," in which adolescent histories of animal cruelty were found among the following:

• 25% of aggressive male prisoners
• 30% of convicted child molesters
• 36% of assaulters of women
• 46% of incarcerated perpetrators of sexual homicide
• 48% of convicted rapists
• 89% of serial murderers

"If the men and women who make Utah’s laws understand what this bill is actually all about, there isn’t one of them who would even think of opposing it," says Mr. Baierschmidt. "The Humane Society is distributing an informative pamphlet to anyone who will take a moment to read it. If they read it, they’ll understand what ‘Henry’s Law’ is all about, and they’ll understand that it only means a better Utah for everyone."

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