Beginning today, the FBI will initiate a new program
targeting animal abusers. Cruelty cases
will be categorized and tracked, with the aim of cracking down on abusers.
Back in 2014, we told you about the FBI’s plan to make it
harder for animal abusers to continue committing such crimes with minimal
punishment. Animal abuse has previously
been considered a lesser crime, but now it will be a Group A felony with its
own category, the same way homicide and arson are listed.
“It will help get better sentences, sway juries and make
for better plea bargains,” said Madeline Bernstein, president and CEO of the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles and a former New
York prosecutor.
The FBI will now be better able to keep statistics on where
cruelty is occurring, how frequently, and if incidents are on the rise. Youthful offenders will be identified to help
them curb their behavior.
The FBI says law enforcement agencies will have to make
reports of incidents under four categories:
simple or gross neglect; intentional abuse and torture; organized abuse,
including dogfighting and cockfighting; and animal sexual abuse.“
The immediate benefit is it will be in front of law
enforcement every month when they have to do their crime reports,” said John
Thompson, interim executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association who
helped establish the new animal cruelty category. “That’s something we have
never seen.
”Crimes will be tracked nationwide, and will hopefully
ensure tougher sentences for abusers.“
Regardless of whether [or not] people care about how
animals are treated, people — like legislators and judges — care about humans,
and they can’t deny the data,” said Natasha Dolezal, director of the animal law
program in the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark College in
Portland, Oregon.
Police agencies must now report all incidents and
arrests. The FBI will levy federal
charges according to the offense – anything from fines to lengthy stays in
prison.
