I have received several communications this week from Rep. Matt Shea regarding the notes I had sent about laws of concern regarding animals. He said that it appears the dog tethering bill and the offender registration bills are dead for this legislative session, and will not be passed.
Thank you very much to everyone who made their voices heard about these laws, and to the lawmakers who listened to and acted on our concerns.
I am very impressed that Rep. Shea not only responded to my initial letter, but also took the initiative to follow up weeks later to give me an update on the status of the laws. That type of concern and follow-through will serve his constituents well.
If anyone is aware of animal or agriculturally related legislation of interest or concern that could still have potential activity in this session, please drop us an email at wa.animal.watch (at) gmail (dot) com, or leave a comment on the blog to let us know about it.
Here are links to our previous posts on these bills:
Animal Abuser Registry Bills
New Animal Cruelty and Dog Tethering Bill Going to Session Today
Sample Letter Regarding the Dog Tethering Laws
Update on HB 1755, the Dog Tethering law
Showing posts with label offender registry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label offender registry. Show all posts
Monday, February 20, 2012
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Animal Abuser Registry Bills
There are two bills in the WA State Legislature now, which if passed would create an animal abuser registry similar to the sex offender registries. The bills are HB 1800 (2011-2012 summary) and SB 5144 (2011-2012 summary). (The PDFs of the actual text of the bills can be found here: SB 5144 and HB 1800.
This animal abuse offender registry would be publicly available on the internet, and the information posted would include the person's:
People from outside WA or who were convicted elsewhere of offenses that would be considered cruelty in WA would be included too, if they were residing or staying in WA.
Everyone who had been convicted of an animal abuse offense as an adult would be listed until their death or until 10 years after their last conviction.
Here are the offenses listed as animal abuse offenses that would require a person to be listed in the registry:
Please note that animal cruelty in the second degree is a misdemeanor and requires no intent to injure, neglect or in any way harm an animal.
In Washington State, 2nd degree cruelty can be as simple as trying to treat an animal's illness yourself rather than calling a veterinarian (as in the case of Hola the Llama), coloring the fur or feathers of ducklings or chicks for sale, or transferring ownership of an animal on public property (defined as cruelty in CCC 8.11.070 (10) ).
Also, in some municipalities in Washington, the animal fighting statutes are so vague that having a fight break out spontaneously between two animals in a herd or flock could qualify. For instance, the City of Asotin, WA states in their city codes under the cruelty statute, 6.20.010, "No person shall cause or permit any dog fight, cock fight, or bull fight, or other combat between animals." [Emphasis added]
I have hotlinked the citations to the laws above so you can see exactly how each offense is defined in state law, but counties and cities within WA have their own definitions that are often more restrictive than state law.
The Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington has the laws of many counties and cities in Washington listed on their website's City and County Codes page.
This animal abuse offender registry would be publicly available on the internet, and the information posted would include the person's:
"name, date of birth, residential address, all animal abuse offense convictions, conviction dates, county and state of convictions, the person's photograph and such other identifying data as the attorney general determines is necessary for the public to properly identify the person, but shall not include the person's social security number."
People from outside WA or who were convicted elsewhere of offenses that would be considered cruelty in WA would be included too, if they were residing or staying in WA.
Everyone who had been convicted of an animal abuse offense as an adult would be listed until their death or until 10 years after their last conviction.
Here are the offenses listed as animal abuse offenses that would require a person to be listed in the registry:
"(2) "Animal abuse offense" means the commission of any act that
21 constitutes the criminal offense of:
22 (a) Animal cruelty in the first degree (RCW 16.52.205);
23 (b) Animal cruelty in the second degree (RCW 16.52.207);
24 (c) Animal fighting (RCW 16.52.117); and
25 (d) Poisoning animals (RCW 16.52.190)."
Please note that animal cruelty in the second degree is a misdemeanor and requires no intent to injure, neglect or in any way harm an animal.
In Washington State, 2nd degree cruelty can be as simple as trying to treat an animal's illness yourself rather than calling a veterinarian (as in the case of Hola the Llama), coloring the fur or feathers of ducklings or chicks for sale, or transferring ownership of an animal on public property (defined as cruelty in CCC 8.11.070 (10) ).
Also, in some municipalities in Washington, the animal fighting statutes are so vague that having a fight break out spontaneously between two animals in a herd or flock could qualify. For instance, the City of Asotin, WA states in their city codes under the cruelty statute, 6.20.010, "No person shall cause or permit any dog fight, cock fight, or bull fight, or other combat between animals." [Emphasis added]
I have hotlinked the citations to the laws above so you can see exactly how each offense is defined in state law, but counties and cities within WA have their own definitions that are often more restrictive than state law.
The Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington has the laws of many counties and cities in Washington listed on their website's City and County Codes page.
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