Animal abuse is defined by the farlex dictionary as ‘the crime of inflicting physical pain, suffering or death on an animal, usually a tame one, beyond necessity for normal discipline. It can include neglect that is so monstrous (withholding food and water) that the animal has suffered, died or been put in imminent danger of death.’
North Carolina is one of the stricter states when it comes to animal abuse laws, however, it does have some limitations and can be confusing. The anti-cruelty statute provides that if any person shall maliciously kill, or cause or procure to be killed, any animal by intentional deprivation of necessary sustenance, that person shall be guilty of a Class H felony . If any person shall maliciously torture, mutilate, maim, cruelly beat, disfigure, poison, or kill, or cause or procure to be tortured, mutilated, maimed, cruelly beaten, disfigured, poisoned, or killed,any animal , every such offender shall for every such offense be guilty of a Class H felony. …show more content…
They have become stricter, and have helped give animals a voice. The HSUS has long led the push for stronger animal cruelty laws and provides training for law officials to detect and prosecute these crimes. (HS) Before 1986, only four states had felony animal cruelty laws: Massachusetts (1804), Oklahoma (1887), Rhode Island (1896) and Michigan (1931) (HS). The fact that only 4 states had felony animal cruelty laws means that before 1986, animals were abused without any justice. A human could abuse an animal without any concern for the animals well being and their own. Three states enacted felony laws in the 1980s, 19 in the 1990s and 25 more since 2000 (including the District of Columbia) (HS). It also is saddening that animals have not been able to get justice until about 15 years ago, and even still the laws are not as strict as they should
North Carolina is one of the stricter states when it comes to animal abuse laws, however, it does have some limitations and can be confusing. The anti-cruelty statute provides that if any person shall maliciously kill, or cause or procure to be killed, any animal by intentional deprivation of necessary sustenance, that person shall be guilty of a Class H felony . If any person shall maliciously torture, mutilate, maim, cruelly beat, disfigure, poison, or kill, or cause or procure to be tortured, mutilated, maimed, cruelly beaten, disfigured, poisoned, or killed,any animal , every such offender shall for every such offense be guilty of a Class H felony. …show more content…
They have become stricter, and have helped give animals a voice. The HSUS has long led the push for stronger animal cruelty laws and provides training for law officials to detect and prosecute these crimes. (HS) Before 1986, only four states had felony animal cruelty laws: Massachusetts (1804), Oklahoma (1887), Rhode Island (1896) and Michigan (1931) (HS). The fact that only 4 states had felony animal cruelty laws means that before 1986, animals were abused without any justice. A human could abuse an animal without any concern for the animals well being and their own. Three states enacted felony laws in the 1980s, 19 in the 1990s and 25 more since 2000 (including the District of Columbia) (HS). It also is saddening that animals have not been able to get justice until about 15 years ago, and even still the laws are not as strict as they should