Buddy's Law: Mississippi Passes Law Mandating Psychological Treatment for Kids Who Commit Animal Cruelty - One Green Planet
On Wednesday February 9, 2022, the Mississippi state senate passed Buddy’s Law unopposed, which will mandate mental evaluations for kids who torture animals.
The law is named after a dog who barely survived from experiencing severe burns courtesy of a 12-year-old kid in Mississippi last year. The dog was found with an electrical cord tied around his neck and burns covering his entire face. The child confessed to the act but wasn’t charged because of his age.
The dog was transported to a veterinary college in Mississippi and underwent a number of procedures. He’s currently still in a shelter and looking to be adopted.
Initially, the law was shut down in January by Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann, however, he was met with a flood of messages by animal rights activists, and he decided to save it. The legislation was also supported by the Sheriff of Tate County, where the incident took place.
The law still prohibits prosecuting children 12 and under, but these psychological assessments and treatment will create the much-needed measure of helping to thwart any violence in the children’s future. The evidence seems to show that kids who are violent towards animals can often be violent towards other humans.
Doll Staley, who runs the campaign Just for Animals for In Defense of Animals (IDA), was elated when she found out about the ruling.
“In Defense of Animals, Mississippi Citizens Against Animal Cruelty, and fellow advocates are ecstatic that Senator Angela Hill continues to champion animal protection and that our state senators comprehend that a healthy society protects its most vulnerable: animals, children, and our elderly citizens.”
Senator Hill was one of the co-authors of the law. IDA gave Senator Hill letters from over 14,000 animal activists last year, urging her to sponsor the important legislation. Before this, Hill had authored authored an amendment that allow for felony charges to brought for those who committed animal cruelty as their first offense.
Hopefully this will encourage other states to add this legislation too.
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source: https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/buddys-law-mississippi-law-psychological-treatment-for-kids-commit-animal-cruelty/
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