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![opinion]()
Enlist help in animal cruelty
fight
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We'd like to give the most charitable interpretation
possible to House Speaker Karen Minnis' decision not to give Senate Bill
1052 a hearing.
The bill, at no cost to Oregon taxpayers, would
appoint three full-time "humane agents" licensed by the Oregon Department
of Public Safety Standards and Training to investigate cases of animal
cruelty. The training and employment of these three specially trained
officers comes from private donations to the Oregon Humane Society.
The bill passed the Senate last month, 24 to 3
and has strong support in the House as well, but Minnis last week decided
that the bill "was unimportant," dooming it to die for lack of action with
the other bills that the lawmakers won't have time for.
To the
legions of pet owners and animal lovers in Oregon — where more than half
of the residents own at least one pet — it is mighty important, especially
as failure to secure this designation sends the wrong signal to animal
abusers about how seriously the state takes such deranged
behavior.
Unless these qualified officers are designated,
investigation of animal cruelty cases will fall back on local law
enforcement. We aren't saying that local police don't care about the
plight of animals that are being neglected, tortured or even
ritualistically killed for the pleasure of the deranged. They have to, by
law (and often by inclination, too).
Animal cruelty is a Class C
felony in Oregon, so police respond to reports of neglect, abused or
torture of animals. However, most police agencies need to prioritize their
dispatch calls based on immediacy and threat to human life and property.
An investigation into a neighborhood animal torturer, even though he or
she is causing a good deal of hardship and grief, can fall by the
wayside.
We can appreciate that in these waning days of the
session, with the budget and school funding finally shaping up, Minnis has
a great deal on her plate. But we hope that she pauses long enough to send
this matter to the House for a quick vote and approval. The ones who most
need her to do this can't lobby her for this favor, but we can.
Let's. | 