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Letter to the editor

Guest Column

Despite legal advances, animal abuse continues

By BARBARA SNOW
Published August 22, 2007

Looking back over the past quarter century, I have seen many advances in animal welfare and protection.

Laws have been upgraded to felonies for animal fighting and animal cruelty. City and county animal control agencies have become animal service agencies by adding adoption departments, spay/neuter surgeries and humane education programs. Television programs like Animal Cops on the Animal Planet network promote awareness of the plight of animals and encourage zero tolerance for animal cruelty.

Veterinary clinics are working closer with humane organizations in cooperative efforts to promote responsible pet ownership. Law enforcement agencies are more willing to investigate, then charge and prosecute people who neglect and abuse animals. Judges feel obligated by duty to hold perpetrators of animal cruelty accountable within the law, with stronger fines and prison sentences.

I have seen children who express love and compassion for animals in their early years grow into adults working in the animal protection field, making a difference in the lives of animals. More community businesses and national for-profit corporations now gravitate toward projects with humane societies as they become aware of the mutual benefits of this relationship.

It has become more acceptable for society to be concerned about the social well-being of animals in addition to providing for their physical needs. Pets are treated more like companions and friends even though state laws (including Florida) still consider them "property." Grief counselors trained in human loss are now expanding services to include clients in deep grief over the loss of their pets.

Then, sadly, some horrific news item comes along to bring us right back to the reality that there is much more work for us to do.

Two issues in recent news - the guilty plea that Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is expected to enter Monday in his federal dogfighting case, and the St. Petersburg story reporting the arrest of Nicholas Densmore for on charges of sodomizing his grandparents' Yorkshire terrier, Duchess - remind us that many sociopathic evils that target innocent animals still exist in our society.

Animals still are abused, tortured and exploited for money, entertainment, power, control, ego and in the name of "sport."

Humane slaughter laws were passed more than 50 years ago, yet many cruel shortcuts are still taken in the use of animals for food.

In spite of many alternatives to animal testing, unnecessary experimentation still goes on.

While hunting is recognized as a legal activity, illegal hunting still goes on, and without enough enforcement resources is often tolerated by society.

While the fashion industry has created faux furs that are both fashionable and warm, many women continue to feel the need to wear the "real thing" to show off their status or their wealth.

And for us at the Humane Society of Pinellas, every day we see pets turned over to us because they have become an inconvenience to their owners. We often hear the disturbing words, "I have to get rid of..." or "I have no time for..." when describing their situation with a pet they have owned a long time.

This lets us know how important it is for the Humane Society of Pinellas to be here for all these animals as their voice and advocate.

While state law still finds acts of cruelty against animals to be a lesser evil than those against humans, it is important for us to know and understand that the violence against them is the same. While a human being may have infinitely more value in society, there is no difference in the pain and suffering of each.

Until we interpret our biblical dominion over animals as stewardship rather than utility, we may never be truly civilized. With the compassion and action of caring people, we can achieve this for animals in our lifetime.

Barbara Snow is executive director of the Humane Society of Pinellas County.

[Last modified August 21, 2007, 20:38:53]