Friday, August 13, 2010

Chairman Greg Ward: "We are going to get it right"




The House Subcommittee on Animal Welfare held its second hearing yesterday on proposed reforms to Mississippi's animal cruelty laws. Representative Greg Ward of Ripley chaired the hearing. Representatives Huddleston, Pigott, Parker, Howell, Reed, Shows, and Staples attended as members of the subcommittee. The small committee room was packed with spectators such as Samantha Cawthorn and Bob Moore (Farm Bureau), Pippa Jackson (Animal Rescue Fund), Cathy Gaitlin (CARA), Gail Brown and Marlo Kirkpatrick (MS-Fact), several veterinarians, Lydia Sattler (Humane Society), WLBT, Jackson Free Press, Bob Anderson (Capital Resources Group), Doug Jeffcoat (Board of Veterinary Medicine), a representative from the Mississippi Poultry Association, and Senator Rob Dearing.

Mr. Ward opened the hearing by proclaiming "the main goal of the hearing is to give the committee's legal assistants information they can use to draft a bill". A bill strengthening the penalties for animal cruelty passed the Senate this year but died in Ward's committee. Mr. Ward said he wanted to pass a bill in the next session and take some time to "get it right" when drafting new legislation. He took a moment to lecture the audience on "unintentionally hurting when they mean to help"

Deputy Ken Sullivan of Rankin County Animal Control testified at the hearing. Mr. Sullivan was crisp and articulate in his testimony as he described the problems he faces in the field. Officer Sullivan oversees three employees, operates the county shelter, and has been serving in his position for nine years. He stated most of the cases he investigated were actual neglect and in most cases, his office tried to work out a resolution best serving the animal's welfare without going to court. He said he had seen maybe "foure cases of outright animal cruelty in the last nine years". It must be noted most of the cases he described involved horses, not cats or dogs. He also stated the recidivism rate was not a good one because the penalties were too low.

Mr. Sullivan then discussed the current laws governing animal cruelty offenses. He called Section 91-4-9 a "wonderful statute". He said the main problems with the current laws are "the penalties are not high enough". Mr. Ward asked Officer Sullivan if a provision for a psychiatric evaluation was needed. The Rankin Deputy replied it was definitely needed and would be a "good provision". Mr. Sullivan also provided some other facts. 80% of the suspects had prior criminal history and that offenders will usually commit other criminal offenses in the future. He said the statute needed two levels of animal cruelty offenses similar to how the law treats simple and aggravated assault. He stated there needs to be "an intent element" that for a "malicious act". The deputy concluded his testimony by distributing this packet of information to the subcommittee. (The first page is the agenda I included.).

Dr. Bob Watson, former President of the Mississippi Veterinary Association then testifed before the hearing. He agreed with Mr. Sullivan in stating "I see neglect a whole lot more than I do abuse" and that he was worried about "unintended consequences." His testimony then moved to the issue of sterilization. Mr. Ward is considering drafting a comprehensive reform of laws governing animal cruelty and similar issues such as sterilization. A discussion was then held on whether the state should mandate sterilization in shelters and if so, when should said sterilization occur. There was very little disagreement among anyone on this subject as everyone clearly recognized the need to control the small animal population. It was also clear the Humane Society has also had substantial contact with the committee on this particular issue and is working with it to craft a solution in any proposed legislation.

Mr. Ward stated he wanted the draft of the proposed bill for the next hearing in a few weeks. He then addressed the failure of SB#2791 to make it out of committee in March:
"The main reason that legislation was not brought forward last year was not because anybody was opposed to it," Ward said. "It was because I did not feel like--and I take the responsibility--there had not been enough research or hearing done on this issue."

Mr. Ward also mentioned the question of Farm Bureau's influence: ""The Farm Bureau or no other organization, even myself, has the power to overrule my committee," he says. "Over the past three years we have not presented a bill to the house we have lost. It's not my intention to bring one to the house floor that's gonna fail."

Earlier posts:
Columbus Packet article on Farm Bureau breakfast and several comments by legislators on animal cruelty bill

8 comments:

Ironghost said...

Hopefully they'll get it right this time.

Anonymous said...

Ward is a phony.

Anonymous said...

Waide and Ward are siamese twins. They are attached at the hip>.

Autogyro said...

Great report, Kingfish. Let's hope Mr. Ward is sincere in his stated desire to move the bill successfully through his committee and onto the floor.

Anonymous said...

Well...we get to add Ward...that last paragraph quoting him made me want to gag

Anonymous said...

Mr Ward - Don't think anyone is claiming Farm Bureau "overruled" you... INFLUENCED you, yes! They need to include something about puppy mills too.

ChevyF16 said...

I'd keep a close watch on what these guys do to the seizure law. You don't want a situation where animal control and law enforcement don't have the right to confiscate dogs that are abused and severely negleted.

Anonymous said...

I think this bill will bear watching as well.

What unintended consequences? No more puppy mills and dog fights?

This is the extent of the testimony? An animal control guy for ONE county? BURRY..BACKO...incomplete sentences...with pastes from other documents...what the hell does finding rabid bats have to do with this bill?

Did the head of the vet's association provide gathered data from all his members or just testify to his personal , anecdotal experience?

Do these folks not " get" that it is an exercise in futility and a monumental waste of time to report cruelty unless you know who did it and even then, you know you will garner their ire and they'll be free to retaliate?


Do these folks really believe the reporting of animal cruelty and the incidents of animal cruelty are the same? IF the cruelty cannot be linked to a person ( not done by the owner) and the animal is not a stray,it doesn't get reported. If the abuser is using cruelty to the family pet to terrify his family, it's not reported.

Owners who didn't do the abuse take the animal to the vet or take care of the remains. Attempting to report is met with " sorry, nothing we can do if you don't know who did it"

House legal assistants can't do research without a hearing?

The Senate didn't do research last year? Is he saying the Senate bill was " on the fly"?

Was the admonition about " unintentionally hurting" a threat ? If anyone steps on egos, the bill won't get drafted/passed even if it's the right thing to do? Is THAT what he's saying?



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