If you own a pet or any animal classified as non-agriculture, good luck if HF 737 and HSB 556/SF 2029 pass into law.
Very few legislators, and certainly not the general public, have a clue how they are being duped into believing these are ‘good bills’.
Question.
Why do the legislators favoring this bill, HF 737, demand animals receive better protections than humans?? Is not your child, elderly parent, other loved ones more important than an animal?
Yes? So here’s a challenge. Show me the laws for humans EQUAL to this bill or to the standards of care for animals demanded by IA code or USDA requirements.
How? Pay close attention. Very, very close attention to the language used to describe “injury’ and “serious injury”.
I’ll wait.
Here’s the link to read for yourself the real language of the bill.
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=%24selectedGa.generalAssemblyID&ba=HF737
The ‘Gonna getcha’s’ and ‘Gotchas’:
Pg. 2. “Injury” means an animals’ disfigurement; the impairment of an animal’s health; or impairment to the functioning of an animals’ limb or organ including physical damage or harm to an animal’s
muscle, tissue, organs, bones, hide, or skin.”
Pg. 3. “Serious injury” means an injury that constitutes an animal’s protracted or permanent disfigurement, the protracted or permanent impairment of an animal’s health, the protracted or permanent impairment of the functioning of an animal’s limb or organ, or the loss of an animal’s limb or organ.
I.E. Your dog or cat escapes the house or yard and gets hit by a car. Gonna getcha!
Johnnies hamster gets a foot caught in the hamster wheel? Gonna getcha:
Susie’s goldfish is found belly up in the morning? Gonna getcha?
What about cropping, docking, dewclaws, spay/neuter? Gonna getcha!
What about your dog jumping off the couch or bed and breaking a leg? Gonna getcha!
What about your dog doing agility or some other eventing, or just playing fetch in the back yard and sprains an ankle or leg? Gonna getcha!
What about your dog or cat getting in a fight when the neighbor’s dog or cat comes into your yard? Gonna getcha!
What about your dog accidentally gets kicked or stepped on at a horse show, a cattle working event? Gonna getcha!
Your child skins his/her knee? Meh.
Your child falls and breaks a bone? Meh.
Elderly falls and gets a bruise? Meh.
Cut your finger peeling potatoes? Meh.
Kids get into a fight, a few scratches and bruises, maybe a few stitches? Meh.
Crazy? Yep. Read the language. If you think I’m wrong, please explain with fact, not emotion. I’ll listen. Promise.
Then the issue of “recklessly” (pg. 3) that is included with intentionally and knowingly. I.E. whoopses and accidents are given the same weight as purposed. No excuses are acceptable for an accident. No excuses for some type of family crisis where cleaning cannot be done every day. NO excuses if a dog is left outside five minutes longer than nosey Nellie thinks it should, as happened in NE last year. Did you know there are now laws dictating how long a dog may be left outside? Gonna getcha!
Two positives in the bill, removal of rabies tag and removal of electronic collars will be penalized. The classic divide and conquer. BOTH the Iowa Trappers and Iowa Coon Hunters Associations are registered as FOR this bill as they are exempted. Do they realize they are exempted ONLY from the actual hunting, trapping, fishing action, but are NOT exempted for the act of training? Gonna getcha!
Note how this so easily sliiiiides like a greased hand into glove of the veterinary exemption bills, HF 2029 and HSB 556? How easy would it be for a vet to declare abuse, when truly an accident as per some above examples? Know who’s word the courts will take? You know fact. The vet merely guesses. Gonna getcha!
Link https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=%24selectedGa.generalAssemblyID&ba=HSB556
On to the claim that harsher penalties are deterrents of crime. Well, not quite so fast there. This is just one of more than 24 independent studies showing increased penalties do NOT deter crime. From the very mouths of over 500 criminal interviewees.
https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/long-term-sentences-time-reconsider-scale-punishment/
Okaaaay. But, but what about animal abuse will lead to child abuse? What about that? Sigh.
You do understand that the majority of those ‘studies’ were conducted or funded in whole or part by the Humane Society of the U.S., Animal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Royal Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Best Friends Society, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, etc. ? That those groups do have an agenda regarding your property rights of animal ownership? That the agenda is to gradually remove them through harsher laws and restrictions. They know full well that to try to do so would raise alarms and strong resistance. Frognpotting and targeting one at a time is the proven method. Set precedence, then go after the next group.
The emotional appeal, along with the very convincing whispers in the ear, is just too much for some legislators to resist.
Gottcha!!!
- Betsy Fickel
Garner
