Why does it seem that these things come in bunches?  We learned today of two
ferrets and a cat that were abandoned in an appartment.  By the time the
ferrets were found they were in such bad condition that the ve, called into
examine them, recommended euthanisia.  We didn't hear about it until it was
too late.  I wish Dr. Dutton could have had a chance to examine them.
 
One 'good' thing (as if anything could make up for this horrible abuse) is
that animal cruelty is a felony in NH.  We did notify the appropriate
authorities (NH Dept of Agriculture) who took an immediate interest in the
case.  I can only hope that by now there is an arrest warrent issued for the
former occupant of the appartment, and that they/he/she spends some prison
time contemplating what they had done.
 
That leads me to this suggestion.  Animal cruelty laws vary drastically from
state to state (witness Troy Lynn's situation with the breeder in KS).  Many
consider such abuse, at worst, a misdemeanor, or more likely so poorly
defined as to make prosecution difficult.  Is anyone out there with some
legal background willing to write up and post a first-draft 'model law' that
would define animal cruelty and propose reasonable and just punishment.
Perhaps another subject for discussion - what are the existing animal
abuse/cruelty laws in the various states?  The goal would be to define a
model law and then work to see it inacted in each and every state.
 
Thought's?  Opinions?
 
[Bill, if this is something you would rather not do here on the FML please
feel free to delete this post.]
 
Dick B.
 
[Moderator's note: This is a fine place to announce you wish to form a
committee to draft a law with ferrets in mind, but people shouldn't respond
to the list unless the post is directly ferret related.  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 1710]