Here's more on the law to stop animal abuse filming. This may be
targeted towards farm animals (who desperately need our protection
too) but what's next? Fur farms? Big ferret breeders? It should not
be a crime to expose animal cruelty!

From the Huffington Post:
"Animal welfare groups reacted with outrage Wednesday after the Iowa
Legislature made the state the first to approve a bill making it a
crime to surreptitiously get into a farming operation to record video
of animal abuse.

The groups have urged Gov. Terry Branstad to veto the measure that was
overwhelmingly approved Tuesday by the Iowa House and Senate, arguing
that the measure would prevent people from publicizing animal abuse.

Sen. Joe Seng, a Davenport Democrat and veterinarian who sponsored
the bill, said the measure strikes a balance by discouraging animal
activists from sneaking into livestock facilities but not prohibiting
someone who legitimately works there from reporting animal abuse.

"I feel that we did something that was needed. It more than anything
sends a message," Seng said. "But I didn't think it was real egregious
to the animal welfare people."

He said the livestock industry has legitimate concerns about
unauthorized people infiltrating their facilities because they could
track in disease or let mice or other unwanted vermin into farm
buildings."

HUH??? "Unwanted vermin"? Exactly "who" is or what is the "unwanted
vermin"?

Nancy in OR

[Posted in FML 7356]