Target: Thomas J. Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture
Goal: Mandate psychological treatment for kids who commit acts of animal cruelty to protect other animals and people.
It was over a year ago that Buddy the dog was found near death, with an extension cord tied around his neck, covered in burn marks from having been set on fire. The alleged perpetrator of this heinous crime: a 12-year-old Mississippi child. While this would typically be considered a felony punishable by up to three years in prison, children under 12 cannot be charged with a crime or evaluated according to Mississippi state law.
In the wake of much public outrage, officials created Buddy’s law which went into effect on July 1st of 2022. According to Buddy’s law, any child convicted of torturing animals is required to receive psychiatric evaluation and treatment. Not only will this law protect thousands of animals from abuse, it will also possibly save the lives of many people, as there is a relatively well established link between animal abuse and later acts of violence towards humans.
Sign this petition to demand Buddy’s law be passed on a federal level and hold abusers in all states across the U.S. accountable for their crimes.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Secretary Vilsack,
Buddy’s law was recently passed in Mississippi after Buddy, a family dog, was found with an extension cord tied tightly around his neck and covered in burn marks. This terrible crime was allegedly committed by a child who, under the age of 12, couldn’t be charged with a crime or evaluated by the state.
Buddy’s law changes this. According to the law, any child convicted of torturing animals is required to receive psychiatric evaluation and treatment. Not only will this get children the help they need, it will also likely save animals and even other people. The correlation between early childhood acts of animal abuse and later acts of violence towards humans is relatively well-established, and perpetrators of crimes towards animals are typically capable of much more.
We are asking you, Mr. Vilsack, to encourage Buddy’s law to be passed on a federal level as an amendment to the Animal Welfare Act.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: AmazonCARES
Essa “criança” monstruosa precisava de receber exactamente o mesmo tratamento que infligiu no cão, que é um ser vivo inocente. É revoltante que um miúdo com 12 anos consiga fazer uma barbaridade dessas a um animal indefeso. Esse miúdo é um futuro assassino psicopata.
The 12 year old should spend a weekend in a maximum security prison so he or she can feel the fear Budddy felt when being abused and burned, what a shitty kid!
Scare them straight! 12 year olds are self aware enough to know animal abuse is wrong!
Yes prison for at least 25 years.
I’d say “ILL-BORN” MONSTER!
A weekend?? NO,they need to go to juvie till they are 21 and then the big house for several decades and they can get all the treatment they want. Of course it depends on the severity of the crime.
Amen to this !!
Evil little shite. Short life I hope. Less animals sleeping with one eye open.
I completely disagree that children cannot be charged with a crime when they do something this horrendous. There is no treatment for psychopaths so he will remain that way until he commits more crimes and is locked up for life. That’s the only way any animal or human will be safe from this kid with no conscience.
execute them 0% recidivism rate guaranteed
Those monsters should be eliminated – they are potential criminals, mentally ill, good for nothing, the scum of humanity.
They do have some use. Take out their organs the moment they get one to the dome.
Evil children become evil adults!!! Regardless of age, or mentality, all should be euthanized and save legal costs, incarceration costs, healthcare costs and guarantees they cannot repeat their actions!!! Too much human sympathy for human shit!!
Dear Secretary Vilsack,
If at that age he is capable of such atrocities, what will he not do when he is older? It is decidedly a rotten seed.
What kind of parents brought a monster like that into the world? Perverts, drug addicts, devil’s spawn? It would definitely be better to lock him up for life to prevent him from becoming another potential criminal.
yes lock him up for several decades. I cannot sign this. This petition advocates mollycoddling! I am not for that.
If at 12 years old he does that knowing that he is committing a crime, imagine what other brutality he would be capable of doing at an older age. In this case ‘an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth’ should apply.
Dear Secretary Vilsack,
Since perpetrators of crimes towards animals are typically capable of much more – WHAT ABOUT SENDING HIM TO A BOOT CAMP?
And he can get the treatment there and after he is 21 he goes off to the big house for another 40 years. This crime was very severe since it was attempted murder coupled with severe torture and kidnapping. Kidnapping is a very serious crime in itself.
A potential criminal – no doubt about it!
There is no potential about it. He is a criminal and needs to be locked up for several decades.
— “Children under 12 cannot be charged with a crime or evaluated according to Mississippi state law”.
So they are free to abuse, mistreat or kill animals? Who was the moron that gave that law?
Yeah I wonder who! 40 years in prison is good. Kidnapping is a very serious crime! There were other crimes too.
Agree all comments tie these little bastards up and burn them. Laws need to change for this cruelty to animals. Justice now what’s Government’s let this happen do something now no excuse eye for a eye.
I cannot sign this. We do not need to mollycoddle these criminals. We need to lock them up and then give them treatment but they will be in there for practically a lifetime!
And… look to their parents and friends… you’ll probably find answers there too. The problem with yet another ‘procedure’ to be ticked off in a government book, is that the mental assessment won’t be done properly or forgotten or the therapist is inexperienced… or funding stops… it’s open to the usual nonsense. Each assessment must be multi-faceted and lengthy… which comes down to money – taxpayers money. it’s a vicious circle 🙁 But I do agree with the principle of the idea. I also like the ‘scare them straight’ approach… and also naming and shaming.
I don’t care what age the kid is. Kids that abuse, torture, or kill animals must be charged as adults and must serve time locking them up in jail. They do the crimes, they do the time. They can get mental help while locked up in jail. They will just keep torturing/killing animals if they don’t get locked up
Some need mental treatment, but at the age of 12 he is already a criminal. He needs punishment.
Let’s have a serious look at the parents of these little pukes. Is there child abuse in the home? Regardless, severe punishment along with a psych evaluation and treatment is a need. If psychopathy is found,life-long monitoring, such as parole, needs to be done.
Maybe do the same to this kid so he can experience the pain he caused this innocent animal! Please don’t let this little monster get away with this vile and evil act!!
EVIL IS EVIL!!!
No matter the age of the PUTRID SCUM!! There is NO punishment what so ever, it’s a fucking joke, but it’s NOT funny.
Rid them from this planet!! Who cares how,,, I couldn’t give a shit how it’s done… They can NOT be rehabilitated.. They get pleasure from inflicting pain on any living thing, Animals & people. The empathy & compassion part of their brain is NON EXISTENT.
They NEED a brain transplant! FFS!
Cull needed.
CRIMES against ANIMALS must be taken SERIOUSLY — Must ensure Child-ABUSER undergoes psychological and emotional therapy & held accountable for his sadistic crime if such decision is deemed proper – Child-Abuser’s depraved attitude inflicting torturous suffering on Doggie is telling of serious & huge problem-issues – We love & care about our Animals —they MUST be PROTECTED — We want NO REPEATS of such crimes.