8 October 2006

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2 — Series of Laws Toughen Animal Protection

Among the new laws is one forbidding the tethering of a dog unattended for more than three hours, one of the first in the country to set a rigid rule on the amount of time an animal can wait on a leash as a master runs errands.

Another bill signed into law makes it a crime to leave animals unattended in vehicles in hot or cold weather, or without adequate ventilation, food or water. Violators of the law, which also allows the police to break windows and take animals away to safety, face fines and up to six months in jail.

New laws stiffen the penalties for those engaged in illegal animal fights like cockfighting, which animal rights advocates say is a common underground activity. In California, a second conviction can be a felony, resulting in prison time or a $25,000 fine.

In August, the US Senate unanimously passed a bill requiring emergency agencies to draw up plans for pet evacuations, care and shelter, and on Sept. 20, the House of Representatives sent it on to President Bush by a vote of 349 to 24. Governor Schwarzenegger signed a similar bill for California last Friday.

It was high time someone thought of our best (only?) friends...