On Wednesday, May 1, Colorado Governor Jared Polis passed a new law banning animal abusers from owning pets for up to five years.
Lady Freethinker created a petition advocating for Bill HB19-1092, which amassed over 25,000 signatures. We want to thank all the animal rights activists like you who signed the petition and pushed to pass this lifesaving law.
“It will increase restrictions of people convicted of felony pet animal cruelty, and facilitate mental health and treatments to address the underlying factors that drive tragic animal cruelty,” Polis stated in an interview with CBS4.
HB19-1092 is a significant victory for animal lovers like Caitlyn Bennett, an adoptions counselor at Denver Dumb Friends League. Her job is to find loving homes for abused pets and animals in need.
Bennett hopes that the law will help eradicate animal cruelty in Colorado and raise awareness about the responsibilities associated with having an animal.
“The basis of this bill was to help animals, obviously,” said Alex Valdez, the state representative who introduced the bill, “but also to help the people who abuse them to not become more dangerous in the future.”
The bill will work similarly to a restraining order, Valdez explained. Any offender caught having a pet during a routine check will be reported to the relevant authorities.
During Wednesday’s bill signing, Polis also announced the creation of the People for Animal Welfare (PAW) Committee, which will play an advisory role regarding animal welfare issues in Colorado. The committee members come from various backgrounds and include veterinarians, academics, attorneys and others.
“This committee is made up of a variety of animal welfare experts,” stated Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera. “Their input will be critical to making Colorado a top state in protecting animals of all kinds.”
What’s New…
The cruelty among animals must stop.
que gran avance ojalá lo sigan aprobando en todo el mundo porque el que abusa de un animal no debe nunca más volver a tener más animalitos para que experimenten con ellos
GOOD NEWS — 5 years NOT having animals is ok — I firmly believe animal abusers should NEVER have animals again.
Not good enough. Anyone who inflicts cruelty on an animal should be banned for life. Unfortunately animal welfare laws are still far too lenient.
HOPE THIS LAW IS WORLD WIDE
As victorious as this is, and it is, it’s not enough! Banning them from having animals for FIVE YEARS? Then they’re allowed to abuse, beat, kick, neglect, perhaps torture & murder poor animals again! The ban should be for life! And, this should be an ENFORCED law in all 50 states……..NOW! We have to save these animals from the idiots who only want to hurt something and pick on the defenseless, helpless and innocent. If laws would ever go to whomever shall harm any animal shall be punished in the same way, even if it’s death, we would start seeing less and less of these Godless acts against these defenseless, innocent and helpless.
Yes; cruelty needs to STOP!
I’m happy this is getting started.. wish it worked for the whole world. and I hope they have them monitored, too.
and fined enough to pay for it all. and make them donate to an animal shelter every month for the rest of their lives.
and scoop litter boxes!!
Please send the details of this law to Ohio. This is law is much needed worldwide!
They should never have another animal, they should be on a list of people who is questionable on harming and abusing children and women also, They should not own a gun!!!!
So, the perp cannot own a pet for five years….big fucking deal! They should be banned from having possession of a non-human for life. When those five years are up, they’ll go back to abusing and murdering innocent creatures, and if they no longer get their kicks with domestic animals, they will move on to humans. That’s why anyone who abuses animals, humans and non-humans alike, should get life w/hard labor, or the death penalty. This bill is a joke.
This law is just a–positive–start. ALL(!) animal abusers need to suffer serious consequences, and drug personalities need to be banned for life from ownership. I hope this governor and team will consider changing the status of animals. Animals should not be considered property. They have all the same organs as humans, and they have great capacity to suffer. Many psychopaths obtain animals. Unfortunately, the abuse cases that make notoriety are just the tip of the iceberg. The majority of the horrors never come to light. We know better, but we are dragging our feet in doing better.
Okay, see the “up to 5 years ” . That’s better. Thank You! 😺
I really think that it is a shame for ALL those who have been convicted of a crime against an animal never to be allowed to have a pet. I believe there is such a thing as rehabilitation especially when they have not been a repeat offender. This should also depend on the severity of the abuse. Even people who have abused other people get another chance after counseling. REHABILITATION.
The ban should be for a lifetime. Five years is a lax attempt to placate someone interested in a ban. There is no force to this legislation.
Why can’t they take animal protection laws more seriously? Upto 5 years should be forever. Punishment like llonger prison sentences and public humiliation and registries listing animal offenders should all be or soon be in place.
I couldn’t have said it better myself, Jacqueline. Five years is obscene. These perps deserve the worst. They can’t be rehabilitated.
Why five years? It should be for life !!!
I think it should include an animal that is in s small pen all day everyday with little or no human contact. Not allowed out to exercise even when the owner is home. Is never let in in inclement whether. Why is it right for someone to own a dog and never spend time with it.
The new law may be better than nothing. But it’s weak and will be hard to enforce. Animal abusers should get the death penalty, but since that won’t happen any time soon, they should at least get life in prison.
It should be a lifetime ban. Why should it be anything else? Why do these bstrds get a break?
I agree that a lifetime ban would be better for these evil scumbags..But this is a start to stopping the evil against poor animals,,
Long overdue – thank you!!!!
Yeah.. wonderful news..god bless XXX
Thankyou Jared Polis but 5 years isn’t long enough. It should be a lifetime ban. 🐶🐕🐩🐾
We need to be the voices for all animals! Sex offenders are registered why can’t animal abusers be registered!
A step towards a better world