Target: Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Senator
Goal: Support increased protection for animals used for agriculture purposes.
A group sneaks onto a farm property with the intention of filming alleged acts of negligence and animal cruelty. One of the involved parties also takes a baby goat believed to be sick and destined for death. When Wayne Hsiung resumed his life and cared for the goat, whom he named Rain, he never imagined he could be staring down a multi-year prison sentence. Yet this exact fate awaited him after someone at the farm found his driver’s license that he had left behind. Although the animal rights activist ultimately received a suspended sentence and probation, he believes the legal system is bowing to pressure from agriculture special interests at the expense of at-risk animals.
He is not wrong. Over the past few years, increasing numbers of laws in America and around the world have targeted the ability of people to film and record acts of animal cruelty. In some cases, these individuals face increasingly stringent criminal charges. The right to rescue is also in debate. While a majority of states have laws on the books enabling individuals to take extraordinary means in rescuing dogs from overheated cars, no such legal avenues exist for other animals, especially animals considered livestock. These living beings should not receive less protection simply because of a powerful and influential industry.
Sign the petition below to urge an amendment to laws that harshly punish animal welfare advocates while shielding potential abusers.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Senator Blumenthal,
As a national leader with a strong record on animal welfare, you should be concerned about the demonization and seeming targeting of animal rights advocates by the legal system. Recently, these individuals have been subject to prosecution for exposing potential animal cruelty through audio or video and for attempting to rescue animals believed to be in harm’s way. Laws should extend options for combating animal cruelty, not limit them.
Likely not coincidentally, many of these cases involve the agricultural industry. Animals deemed as livestock seem to have little regard or protection in the eyes of the government. They are omitted from most safeguards under the Animal Welfare Act yet are routinely the focus of some of the most long-standing and horrific acts of negligence and abuse. Special interests should not make these living beings lesser in the eyes of the law.
Please advocate for enhanced protection for these animals, up to and including inclusion in the nation’s standard-bearer animal welfare law, extension of right to rescue laws to livestock, and increased legal avenues for ordinary citizens to expose wrongdoing. Demonstrate your commitment to all living beings by backing these important reforms.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Arthouse Studio
What is wrong with people??!! It is our Job to be guardians of the animals and therefore will report their abuse! It needs to be the opposite! People are always shouting for stronger laws for animal protection! It will be the end of the legal system if any judge doesn’t angrily throw this out before it ever gets to court!!!
Jacquie, we couldn’t agree with you more. We can’t even believe what we’re reading. If we could, we would stand in the judges face and respectfully denounce this insanity and intensely and passionately represent these precious sentient animals that have no voice and as mentioned are routinely the focus of some of the most long-standing and horrific acts of negligence and abuse. So definitely signed the petition PRAY HARD THAT THIS SENATOR demonstrates his commitment to all living beings by backing these important reforms.
Animals have feelings and are just as important as people.
I totally agree!
Those who rescue animals ENSLAVED in the shocking grip of the slaughter-industries are HEROES!
Those who punish these compassionate heroes are SADISTIC PSYCHOPATHS!
ANIMALS are sentient beings – they have exactly the SAME RIGHT to this PLANET as YOU and ME! NO-ONE has the right to torment, mistreat or abuse these creatures.
GO VEGAN because the slaughter-industries DEHUMANIZE humans. This petition PROVES MY STATEMENT!
I agree with you. That’s why I’m vegan!
I totally agree! I’m vegan because of respect to the animals. I respect their lives in the same way that I like mine to be respected.
Integrity is The Most Endangered Species on the Planet! You can’t even enforce your own law? WTH?
These animal rescuers are oviously fabulous heroes and not criminals.Shame on the stupid,uneducated US legal system for preparing this matter for court.Not wonder the USA is in such a mess with morons like this!
It’s all about MONEY and BUSINESS.
Government may make some changes when pushed, but overall, they support BUSINESS.
Animals are not viewed with the same importance as humans They are considered a throw-away commodity. And until this changes and they get comparable rights to humans, frankly, animals will always get the shitty end of the stick.
This is why advocates and activist must not stop fighting for this.
Some of the laws seem to be protecting the animal abusers, torturers, and companies that are cruel & inhumane to farm animals. The laws must change. People that call out all these businesses that treat animals wrong are to be congratulated and not charged. They are bringing the truth to light. All the businesses abusing, torturing, and killing the animals all need to be shut down and all the owners severely charged. All the animals must be rescued and never given back to those companies. Put them in sanctuaries.
It’s time for everyone, including elected officials, to be on the right side for animals.If anyone is in need of help, including non human beings, it is our moral duty to help.
SAVE ALL THESE INNOCENT ANIMALS FROM ALL THESE STUPID CRUEL PEOPLE.
If we have loved and cared and shared and fought and called and wrote for years and years and years and years, …. HAVE WE NOT LEARNED ANYTHING ???
If you are a Vegetarian you do not know until you know if you ever know;
If you are a Vegan you do not know until you know if you ever will know;
If you are a meat eater you do not know until you know and you may or may not ever or never know …
Nothing and I do mean nothing ever entirely happens all at once or overnight. You are dealing with a meat eating mentality and a meat eating society.
I, myself, started by advocating that everyone begins by taking baby steps …
This is HOW we learn to do this – This is how it gets done.
#1. Stop eating and or allowing the butcher of any and all companion and or domesticated animals : Define Domesticated :: Dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.
#2. Immediately stop the slaughter of BABY Farm animals for meat of any and all “BABY ANIMALS.” Definition of Baby or ‘infant’ animals : Any and ALL animals under the age of 1 year of age. Examples – Lambs, aka “mutton,” Calves, aka “Veal,” Chicks, (baby Chickens), Ducklings, (baby Ducks), Piglets, (baby Pigs).
If we could just achieve this and that’s a BIG “if” we would be on the road to achieving what all Vegetarian and Vegan humane advocates and activists all over the world have been trying to make a reality for decades and generations.
It is our biases and hypocracies that are not making this happen. If you are a vegetarian or a vegan ad you have literally never had to eat meat, most will most likely not, won’t ever get this. I advocate this and we ALL should be able to achieve this. We can do this! Baby steps…, take the first step and advocate for this! It’s a beginning and it’s a start, teaching humanity through humane treatment of all animals, having this be a basic baseline to start with. Reaching across the divide or board. Learning that our differences is what makes us all the same.
I challenge all Vegans and Vegetarians to try and to DO THIS. As for everyone and anyone that does not fit into that category, my advice is, “we all can seriously do better.” “I did.”
Agree all comments. Someone gots to help cruelty . The Government dont only think of fucken money its all about money not innocent animals. Go plabt based food stop killing animals and cruelty. This world the people full of cruel cunts. People cruel to animals need the same.
Laws have got to change for the protection of animals. The only way we as a society know that animals are being blatantly abused, is through whistle-blowers and animal activists. These good hearted people should NOT be punished for trying to help the animals. People need to stop eating animals!
Person’s who are trying to save innocent animals should not face prosecution when they have no malice as an aforethought.
The problem is government is bought off by fucking, scumbag, sociopathic corporations that don’t give a shit about anything except the bottom line.
They should be given a medal not a sentence. Animal agriculture is based on animal exploitation. As more people turn away from meat and dairy the more desperate they get. Too many people in authority are connected to this vile industry.
The wealthy and powerful meat industry continues to block even the most basic protections for farm animals. All animal abuse is defended as “routine procedure” or “cost of doing business.” This must change. Consumers care about how their food is produced, and consumers care about animal welfare.
Installation of cameras in factory farms and slaughterhouses to deter the most egregious abuse would be a good first step.
I agree with Urszula Lund
“ Those who rescue animals ENSLAVED in the shocking grip of the slaughter-industries are HEROES!
Those who punish these compassionate heroes are SADISTIC PSYCHOPATHS!
ANIMALS are sentient beings – they have exactly the SAME RIGHT to this PLANET as YOU and ME! NO-ONE has the right to torment, mistreat or abuse these creatures.
GO VEGAN because the slaughter-industries DEHUMANIZE humans. This petition PROVES MY STATEMENT! “ EVIL TREATMENT MUST STOP !!!
Richard – Obviously, laws need to be changed. Please listen to your constituents and push to change the law to allow people to report animal abuse and cruelty – where ever it occurs! Please!
Your priorities are all fucked up, as usual. These people deserve accolades the inbred bastards perpetrating the cruelty deserve to die, slowly…