By Alia Beard Rau | The Republic
Legislation to overhaul state livestock-abuse laws has united an unusual group of opponents, pitting Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the Arizona Humane Society, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona and free-speech advocates against the state’s farmers and cattle ranchers.
At issue is House Bill 2587, which separates the crime of livestock cruelty from other types of animal cruelty and eliminates the option of felony charges.
Proponents say the bill would increase protections against animal cruelty, but detractors say it is designed to derail the kind of undercover video operations that have documented extreme cases of cruelty in so-called factory farming operations around the country in recent years.
Under the bill, only the Arizona Department of Agriculture would be allowed to investigate livestock-cruelty allegations, instead of local law enforcement. Counties or municipalities would also be prohibited from passing more restrictive ordinances than the state regulations.
Statement by Adam Trenk, Rose Law Group equine attorney: “By eliminating the option of felony prosecution for cruelty to livestock and tying the hands of local law enforcement keeping them from investigating cases of cruelty to livestock, this bill will put horses in Arizona at risk.”
