Guest guest Posted December 16, 2002 Report Share Posted December 16, 2002 does anyone know how helpful a petition like this is likely to be? I received the following from In Defense of Animals. Stephanie On Aug 21, 2002, 17-yr old Russell Watson, savagely beat a 1-yr old pitbull, Rahkim, with a baseball bat. The beating was recorded by a security camera in a Laundromat in which the puppy went into seeking refuge from Watson. The video shows the pup entering the site limping and bloodied from Watson attacking him and hiding behind a row of washing machines. Watson can then be seen walking in dangling a baseball bat. The next thing the tape shows is sickening. Watson finds the pup, lines up the bat, and delivers several crushing blows to Rahkim's head and rendering him unconscious. Watson then drags Rahkim out of the Laundromat by his legs and abandons him a block away, leaving Rahkim to die. Rahkim sustained severe injuries and on Aug 22, 2002, Rahkim's owners/family had him euthanized. The pup belonged to 10-yr old Alexis Broadway who lives only a few blocks from where the attack took place. Under Pennsylvania law, Watson was charged with a 2nd Degree Misdemeanor which sentencing is at least $1k & /or 2 yrs imprisonment. However, he was sentenced to serve only 5 months in juvenile hall. Pennsylvania is 1 of 21 states that do not recognize Aggravated Animal Cruelty as a felony. To sign and forward the petition go to <A HREF= " http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/786667561 " > http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/786667561</A> Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming are the 21 states that still charge aggravated animal cruelty as a misdemeanor. I am looking for volunteers in these states to post a hard copy of the petition in local pet stores, veterinary hospitals, and SPCAs. Please contact <A HREF= " firedncr " >firedncr</A> if you are interested in volunteering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2002 Report Share Posted December 18, 2002 > > does anyone know how helpful a petition like this is likely to be? I > received the following from In Defense of Animals. Stephanie > > To sign and forward the petition go to <A > HREF= " http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/786667561 " > > http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/786667561</A> My personal opinion is that handwritten individual letters are the most effective lobbying tool. I think online petitions are probably a lot less effective. I think there are a few folks on the list who are involved in lobbying so hopefully the will speak up and add their opinion. Cheers, Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2002 Report Share Posted December 18, 2002 Hi Tammy, I just sent an e-mail to Nicole Turner asking her what US Senator Leahy can do to change the states' laws since it would not be a federal bill. Federally, we have the Animal Welfare Act but it does not cover cases of cruelty like this one. It covers animals in laboratories, circuses, puppy mills, etc. Each state has to introduce a bill to amend their state law. It would most likely be to make it a " wobbler " in that depending on the severity a misdemeanor or felony can be charged. That's what we have here in Cal. We would not be able to pass this law now because of the three strikes law. Legislators don't want to make anything a felony anymore because people would be mandated to get 25 to life for the third felony. In Calif I see that with our wobbler law, I never see anybody charged with a misdemeanor for cruelty. They always charge a felony since that option is open to them and they want to start out with the strongest penalty and then it gets worked down from there. Yes, individual letters are always the best. And constituent letters are the strongest. Hoppy Holly Daze, Tammy! Virginia The Fund for Animals, SF - Tammy <govegan <inthepresent; Tuesday, December 17, 2002 7:51 PM RE: [sFBAVeg] make aggrev. animal cruelty a felony > > > > does anyone know how helpful a petition like this is likely to be? I > > received the following from In Defense of Animals. Stephanie > > > > To sign and forward the petition go to <A > > HREF= " http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/786667561 " > > > http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/786667561</A> > > > My personal opinion is that handwritten individual letters are the most > effective lobbying tool. I think online petitions are probably a lot less > effective. I think there are a few folks on the list who are involved in > lobbying so hopefully the will speak up and add their opinion. > > Cheers, > Tammy > > > > *Got Questions? We got answers! See the SFBAVeg FAQ at http://www.generationv.org/faq.htm > > *SFBAVeg Charter: http://www.generationv.org/charter.htm > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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