www.utahhumane.org

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RELEASE DATE: Immediately (February 27, 2008)

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Today, by a vote of 21-6, the Utah State Senate has successfully passed SB 297, the compromise bill that would make the deliberate torture of a cat or dog a third-degree felony on the first offense, and leaves the current animal cruelty code intact. It will now go to the House of Representatives, and if it passes there, Utah will become the 44^th state in America to have a felony-level animal protection law on the books.

"This is a landmark action," says Gene Baierschmidt, Executive Director of the Humane Society of Utah, whose organization has been fighting for this kind of legislation for years. "It’s important because it finally puts some real teeth in the state’s animal-protection laws without weakening the statutes that are already in place."

The Society stressed the fact that this law was strongly supported by almost three-quarters of Utah’s residents statewide. "The people spoke, and they let their lawmakers know that this issue matters. It has significance for both animals and people, since there is a strong link between violence against companion animals and domestic abuse, as well as serious crimes against other people."

"It was a bumpy road when the 2008 session started," said Mr. Baierschmidt. "There were initially two opposing bills. The one that we strongly supported didn’t even get heard, while the other one — which we considered disastrous for animals at all levels — seemed to be headed for success. But there was such intense reaction from the public that a compromise bill was introduced in the House, and a brand-new compromise bill — SB 297 — was introduced in the Senate, and it has passed there. We’re hoping that this year Utah will finally come into line with the majority of the other states that already have felony-level animal cruelty provisions on their books."