Katie Hobbs signs new animal cruelty law
Madeline Murray
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Governor Katie Hobbs signed a bill making it a crime to fail to get medical attention for pets. Pet owners who fail to properly attend to their animals are at risk of a class 5 felony, class 6 felony, or a class 1 misdemeanour.
“Our previous animal cruelty laws did not define some elements very clearly, so like adequate water adequate food. There was real no definition to determine what those two things are, its all left up to interpretation,” said Anette Lagunas, Humane Society Executive Director.
Senate Bill 1658 gives more definition to the previous animal cruelty laws by allowing animal control officers to prosecute offenders quickly and effectively.
“Anytime you adopt an animal, you should automatically know that it’s going to require some medical care at some point in their lives,” says Lagunas.
Doctor Cheryl Haugo says sometimes it’s hard to access emergency care in Yuma.
“The best thing you can do is call around see if anybody can see you, and if not then, Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego, El Centro, El Cajon, those are your best options, ” says Haugo.
If you happen to see an animal in bad condition, try to find proper assistance.
Haugo says, “If they say ‘Oh and you know I don’t know; he’s just skinny or whatever,’ then I would say maybe call animal control.”
The law takes effect in September.