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PRESS RELEASE
RELEASE DATE: Immediately (January 31, 2007)
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Gene Baierschmidt
(801) 261-2919 - phone

HENRY THE DOG TO APPEAR BEFORE SENATE COMMITTEE

On Friday, February 2, at 8:00 A.M., a very special guest will appear before the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee in Room W015 of the West Office Building in the State Capitol complex to present mute testimony for the passage of SB 190, a bill which would make the intentional torture of an animal a third-degree felony in Utah. At that time Henry, the little black Chihuahua-mix dog who last year lost an eye and suffered severe burns after being chased and put in a hot oven, will be escorted into the committee hearing room by his "mom," Ms. Rhonda Kamper, to give legislators a first-hand look at why this bill needs to be passed.

The Humane Society of Utah, which has been strongly supporting this legislation, will also be on hand to help speak up for Henry. According to HSU Executive Director Gene Baierschmidt, enactment of the bill is long overdue. "Forty-one other states already have felony provisions in their animal-cruelty statutes," he says, "and there are lots of good reasons for that. Research has established a powerful link between deliberate torture of animals and violence against other people, usually the most vulnerable members of our society like children, women, and the elderly. The entire process is a cycle, and ALL of its phases must be addressed."

Although Henry has largely recovered from the injuries inflicted on him, he will never see with his left eye and he will always bear the scars and crippling effects of his ordeal in the oven. Rhonda Kamper, and the legions of Utahans who have been following Henry’s story for the past seven months, are hoping that the actual appearance of this little victim will show our lawmakers what animal torture really looks like, and will encourage them to take the necessary steps to recognize such actions for what they are - felonies.

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