ARL’s Nadine Pellegrini collaborates alongside local & national animal welfare organizations to lobby important bills

On Tuesday, June 28 the Senate passed three important bills strengthening protection for animals and promoting animal welfare.

THESE BILLS INCLUDED…

(S. 2369) – An Act to Prevent Animal Suffering and Death

This bill will give law enforcement/first responders and citizens the ability to intervene early on when an animal is at risk of injury and/or death.

Amends Anti-Tethering Statute

• Under the law as it currently stands, a person can tether their dog for up to 24 consecutive hours. 24 hours is far too long for a dog to be chained up. The law is essentially unenforceable.
• The new law prohibits confining/tethering an animal for longer than 5 hours in a 24 hour period and prohibits tethering outside from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
• The new law prohibits tethering outside if there is a weather advisory or if there is extreme heat, cold, wind, rain, snow or hail which causes a risk to health or safety of the dog based on the dog’s breed, age or physical condition. Under those conditions, the dog cannot be tethered for more than 15 minutes and during that 15 minutes, the owner must be with the dog.
• The new law gives law enforcement personnel from the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) and MSPCA the ability to write citations (with increased fines) for violations of any provision of the anti-tethering statute.

Creates a new law to address pets in vehicles – This will be familiar to all who are aware of ARL’s “Too Hot for Spot” campaign. The bill creates a new law which not only punishes violators who leave their pets in vehicles during extreme hot or cold weather but it gives first responders, such as police, fire, and rescue, a clear directive that they can intervene and rescue an animal from a dangerous situation. The bill covers new ground by also allowing non-law enforcement people, under specific conditions, to rescue an animal from a vehicle.

(S. 2370) – “An Act Relative to Protecting Puppies and Kittens”

This bill seeks to prevent the sale of dogs or cats less than eight weeks of age; updates the “Puppy Lemon Law” to give pet owners more options if they unknowingly purchase a sick pet; regulates certain breeders; and prevents pet shops from obtaining puppies and kittens from USDA breeders with multiple violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

(S. 2375) – An Act protecting abandoned animals in vacant properties

This bill directs landlords, property managers, and owners — when they know or reasonably should know that property has been vacated, abandoned or foreclosed — to inspect properties within 3 days to check for the presence of abandoned animals. The bill also provides for monetary penalties if the properties are not checked.

THE NEXT STEP…

Now that these important bills have passed the Senate, the next step is to get these bills passed in the House of Representatives. We need your help…Please contact your state reps to express your support for these truly important bills. A list of members of the House of Representatives and their contact info can be viewed at https://malegislature.gov/People/House.

SPECIAL THANKS…to MA senators for choosing to protect our state’s animals!

ARL sent a proposal to the USSC urging higher guidelines for individuals found guilty of federal animal fighting crimes

Earlier this month, the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) reported that the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) was considering increasing penalties for animal fighting.

The ARL believes that these higher guidelines will help deter any potential offenders, and help to protect animals like Turtle from becoming “bait dogs”.

Click here to learn more.

The ARL, along with countless other animal welfare organizations, sent letters urging the USSC to consider higher sentencing ranges for individuals found guilty of federal animal fighting crimes.

Our voice was heard!

On April 15, 2016, the USSC voted unanimously to approve increases for the sentencing penalties associated with animal fighting. Previously, the range was 6 to 12 months in federal prison; the range is now 21 to 27 months in federal prison.

The USSC also authorized judges to impose upward departures – sentences above the usual range – for those cases where:

• The suffering of animals was prolonged.
• The fighting enterprise was on an exceptional scale (an exceptionally large number of animals was involved in the fighting enterprise).

The ARL believes that these higher guidelines will help deter any potential offenders, and help to protect animals like Turtle from becoming “bait dogs”.

It is for Turtle and so many other animals like her that the ARL continues to urge that those who are responsible for such harm and cruelty are brought to justice.

TAKE ACTION FOR ANIMALS! Learn the 7 most common warning signs of animal cruelty and report any suspicious activity to your local authorities.

The proposal would protect animals like Turtle from becoming “bait dogs”

BEFORE: Turtle was found severely injured and cruelly abandoned on the side of the road in 2009. AFTER: Today, Turtle is happy, healthy, and loving life with her new family!

Animal fighting is not a crime that just happens ‘someplace else’.

Sadly, the brutality and suffering that result from animal fighting are all too familiar to the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL). Each year, ARL’s law enforcement department, rescue team, and shelter veterinarians and staff are called in to help domesticated animals and wildlife in Massachusetts found in these extreme situations.

One of the most inhumane cases that we’ve encountered was that of Turtle, the Pit Bull-type dog who had been left for dead on the side of the road.

In December 2009, the ARL responded to a call about an injured dog in Hyde Park, MA. Turtle was discovered lying curled up and motionless in the bitter cold. Her body was covered with old bite wounds that had been inexpertly stitched, as well as dozens of new bites on her face and underbelly, and a fractured leg. All of these were classic signs of a “bait dog” used in dogfighting.

Turtle received emergency medical attention and surgery to stabilize her condition. Afterward, she underwent months of long and strenuous physical and behavioral rehabilitation at the ARL.

The ARL proposes higher guidelines for animal fighting cases…

It’s because of dogs like Turtle, and so many other animals used for blood sports, that the ARL recently sent a letter to the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) urging higher guidelines for individuals found guilty of federal animal fighting crimes.

Although the maximum penalty for animal fighting was raised to 5 years in federal prison in 2007, the guidelines used to determine the actual sentence length had not changed. This means that those convicted for animal fighting may not have received any jail time at all.

Turtle fully recovered and listening intently to ARL’s President Mary Nee at the State House during Lobby Day 2014!

Based upon our own experience, as well as that of other law enforcement agencies, the ARL has proposed that the USSC:

• Consider adding additional penalty levels for animal fighting crimes where guns and/or drugs were involved.
• Urge the sentencing judge to consider other factors to impose a higher sentence, such as extreme cruelty or failure to provide adequate shelter, food, and medical care.

The ARL believes that these new proposals would result in longer sentences and appropriately punish a current offender and possibly deter any potential offenders.

Turtle was lucky that she was found in time to save. Her recovery is a testament to her own strength and courage, as well as the wonderful veterinary and rehabilitative care she received at the ARL.

It is for Turtle and so many other animals like her that ARL continues to fight and urge that those who are responsible for such harm and cruelty are brought to justice.

TAKE ACTION FOR ANIMALS! Learn the 7 most common warning signs of animal cruelty and report any suspicious activity to your local authorities.

Suspects arraigned in connection with illegal animal fighting ring

Earlier this week, 24 suspects were arrested and arraigned for their suspected involvement in an illegal cockfighting ring in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.

Lt. Alan Borgal, director of law enforcement at the ARL, and Brian O’Connor (pictured), manager of rescue services at the ARL, helped recover 18 modern game birds from the illegal cockfighting ring in Tewksbury, MA. Photo courtesy of the Tewksbury police department.

The Tewksbury Police Department acted on a tip that multiple people were gambling on a “cock fight” at the residence of 969 Chandler Street.

When officials entered the home surrounded by surveillance equipment, they discovered 24 people participating in a “cock fight”. Several packages of spurs, kits with tape, and over $13,000 in cash, were also found on the scene.

The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL), Tewksbury Animal Control, and the Massachusetts Environmental Police were called in for help.

“There were 18 modern game birds involved,” says Lt. Alan Borgal, director of law enforcement at the ARL. “Many of them had artificial plastic spurs attached to their legs to inflict more damage to one another during the fight.”

Sadly, 5 of the modern game birds were critically injured and did not survive. The remaining 13 birds are in the custody and control of the ARL’s law enforcement department.

On Monday, all 24 suspects were arraigned in Lowell District Court on charges of cruelty to animals and being present at an animal fight. The two organizers of the cockfighting ring were also charged with keeping or promoting an animal fight.

SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING – We all have a role to play in prevention! Report suspicions of animal cruelty, abandonment, neglect to your local authorities. Learn more at arlboston.org/take-action