PETITION TARGET: Rep. Allen Skillicorn
PETITION UPDATE: On March 6, 2020, Braveheart’s Law was sent out and witness slips were requested. Witness slips, which showcase support or opposition to a specific bill, are crucial to the proposal’s success. We must also urge Reps. Arthur Turner, Tom Demmer, Natalie Manley, and Dan Brady to back HB3995. Sign this petition to tell the Illinois House of Representatives that dogs and cats deserve a voice in court.
Braveheart was discovered with her right ear cut in half, a swollen muzzle and bite wounds covering her face and body. She was one of 11 dogs living among filth and excrement at the home of a convicted animal abuser.
After their rescue, Braveheart and her canine companions had nobody to fight for them. So they languished in a shelter for months, unable to even be fostered into loving homes. Her abuser made a plea deal and only received 18 months of probation.
Braveheart’s Law, a potential new bill in Illinois, could help protect dogs like her by allowing state courts to assign pro bono lawyers or law students to advocate for cats and dogs in animal cruelty cases, finally giving the animals a voice in the legal system.
State Representative Allen Skillicorn reportedly may propose Braveheart’s Law in January 2020. Please speak out to show your support and help this crucial legislation pass!
Other states have introduced similar laws. Desmond’s Law was enacted in Connecticut in 2016, and animal advocates say they have seen stiffer penalties for abusers since then.
Franky’s Law was proposed in Maine this year.
Every animal victim of abuse deserves a voice in court.
Sign this petition to let Rep. Skillicorn know that you fully support Braveheart’s Law, and eagerly await the introduction — and passage — of this important bill.
Note: Please keep comments peaceful and family friendly.