Libre’s bill Reintroduced by Rep. Ryan Bizzarro – “I am determined to get this bill signed by the governor.”

I am determined to get this bill

signed by the governor – Rep. Ryan Bizzarro

H.B. 13, formerly known as H.B. 869 has been reintroduced by Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D) which would set stricter penalties for animal abuse in the state of Pennsylvania.

H.B. 869 failed to pass during last year’s legislative session.   It passed the State Senate unanimously and also made it out of the House Rules Committee twice.   It was never brought to the floor for a vote by House Speaker Mike Turzai before the session ended last year.

Pennsylvania animal advocates along with Rep. Bizzarro worked rigorously to get this piece of legislation passed in 2016.   Hopefully, H.B. 13 will be passed into law in 2017.

H.B. 13 would ban any abuser convicted of cruelty of animals from getting their pets back. It also would:

• Create a first-time misdemeanor penalty for an egregious act of animal cruelty.
• Add greater protection for horses that are severely abused.
• Provide commonsense limitations on the continuous outdoor tethering of dogs.

Under current law, animal cruelty is a summary offense with a fine of a couple hundred dollars and less than 90 days in jail. It’s time to toughen penalties for animal abuse. A Chicago police department study revealed that offenders charged with crimes against animals usually commit other violent offenses toward people. The report claims of those arrested for crimes against animals, 65 percent has been arrested for assaulting another person.

Of the 36 convicted multiple murders questioned in the study, 46 percent admitted committing acts of animal torture as adolescents and of seven school shootings that took place across the country between 1997 and 2001, all involved boys who had previously committed acts of animal cruelty.

In the state of Pennsylvania the maximum punishment for abusing animals is the same as a traffic ticket, a summary offense.   According to the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Rankings List (put out January 9th), Pennsylvania ranks 44th out of 50 states which places it in the bottom tier for animal protection.   ALDF says animal protection in all 50 states needs to improve but the bottom tier

Bizzarro said he is fully committed to getting H.B. 13 passed in both chambers and signed into law by the governor this session. We must seek justice for Libre and for all of the animals who suffer at the hands of offenders. It’s time to finish what we started.

Libre was the 4th month old puppy who was found near death in a Lancaster County puppy mill when a delivery man asked the owner if he could have him.   Libre’s life was saved and from his life was born H.B. 869.   Libre became the face for this important piece of animal legislation.  He visited legislators at the Capitol in Harrisburg hoping to persuade Pennsylvania politicians to pass this bill.

Libre is still the face for H.B. 13 and Rep. Bizzarro is committed to getting this passed in both chambers and signed into law by the governor this session.   “We must seek justice for Libre and for all of the animals who suffer at the hands of offenders.  It’s time to finish what we started.”

Pennsylvania, Idaho and Iowa are the three states where animal abuse is not a felony.  We must make 2017 the year this changes in Pennsylvania where better animal protection is sorely needed.

All animal advocates need to contact their legislators and let them know about H.B. 13 and ask them to support Rep. Ryan Bizzarro’s bill which will create more appropriate punishment for those who abuse animals.  You can find your legislators here.

The animals need our voices and help.   We can make this happen this year!