Oregon animal protection laws get high marks
For the eighth year in a row, Oregon ranks as one of the best states for animal protection laws, according to a recently released report by national nonprofit Animal Legal Defense Fund.
For 10 years, ALDF has released the Rankings Report, the longest-running and most authoritative of its kind, to track which states are taking animal protection seriously.
Oregon came in No. 2 in the rankings, which are based on a comprehensive review of each jurisdiction’s animal protection laws, including over 4,000 pages of statutes.
Joining Oregon at the top for 2015 are Illinois (1), Maine (3), California (4), and Michigan (5).
This same handful of states has held the top slots for the last eight years, though the report points out many areas of each state’s laws that could be improved for animals. The worst five states of 2015 include Kentucky (50), Iowa (49), Wyoming (48), Utah (47) and North Dakota (46).
How did Oregon secure second place? In Oregon, protective orders in domestic violence cases can include animals. There are mandatory restrictions on future possession of animals upon conviction.
Additionally, Oregon law includes felony penalties for animal cruelty, neglect, and fighting. Oregon has stayed strong in its position in the top five, but there’s still plenty of room to improve. Among ALDF’s recommendations are felony penalties for abandonment, mandatory terms of incarceration for certain offenders, and an animal abuser registry.
A study of the past five years of ALDF’s Ranking Reports shows more than three-quarters of all states and territories have significantly improved their animal protection laws.
The newest report reveals an encouraging trend toward legislation allowing animals to be included in protective orders. These laws exist in four of the top five states, including Oregon.
“Protective orders are crucial for removing both human and animal victims from the cycle of domestic violence, because human victims are often afraid to leave their pets behind,” said Stephen Wells, executive director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
“We applaud those states that recognize the clear Link between violence towards humans and animals by allowing judges to include animals in domestic violence protective orders—and we hope other states continue to follow suit.”
The full report, including details about each state, is available at www.aldf.org. ALDF’s complete “Animal Protection Laws of the U.S.A. and Canada” compendium, on which the report is based, is available at www.aldf.org/compendium.
