The New York State Senate has passed a set of anti-animal cruelty laws that will help protect pets and wild animals alike.
According to the
press release
from the State Senate, the package of legislation, spearheaded by Senator Monica R. Martinez, gives judges discretion to award consecutive sentences when punishing those convicted of animal cruelty and expands the definitions of wild and exotic animals to protect more creatures from being trafficked.
Previously, New York statute limited sentences for animal cruelty cases to a maximum of two years, regardless of how many counts the person was charged with. Now, under S197 or Tucker’s Law, judges can opt to give multiple consecutive sentences to those facing multiple counts of cruelty, allowing them to extend their incarcerated periods for egregious and repeated acts.
S252 was filed in response to a Hauppauge, New York, pet store that was allowing customers to pay for 30-minute sessions to feed, pet, and play with exotic animals like kangaroos and sloths. Previously, owning and selling those types of animals wasn’t prohibited under state law, but the new bill will prevent the owning and selling of those animals as pets.
Animal trafficking remains a massive concern globally, and countries are working hard to crack down on the practice. India recently made a
massive bust
of primates coming into the country from around the world, while Interpol and the World Customs Organization recently seized
20,000 animals
in a global sting.
“Today’s vote is a reminder that humanity’s laws have not always kept pace with the cruelty some individuals inflict on animals,” Senator Martinez said in a statement, “The package of bills passed, including expansions of ‘Tucker’s Law’ and the ban on exotic animal sales, raises our standard of accountability toward our fellow beings.
Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City?
“These proposals reflect our deeply held belief that compassion is a virtue that must be reflected in both our values and our laws. As cruelty to animals is often a precursor to future abuse against humans, this legislation not only protects animals but also affirms our commitment to ensuring both are treated with dignity and respect.”
|
|
Join our
free newsletter
for
good news
and
useful tips
, and don’t miss
this cool list
of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Lawmakers pass sweeping new laws after discovering bizarre situation at local pet store: ‘Raises our standard of accountability toward our fellow beings’
first appeared on
The Cool Down
.
