Jolyn Wasem gets it wrong in her Oct. 20 letter to the editor “No vote does not mean support of animal cruelty.”
I too consider myself an animal lover and I am voting yes on Measure 5 to protect our pets now.
The North Dakota Legislature has failed for years to address our weak animal cruelty laws. What makes her so certain they will take any action in 2013.
Many of the same groups that are working on proposed legislation now have also worked on the same animal cruelty proposals during the last several legislative sessions and have failed to get it done.
It seems that the politicians couldn’t even agree on a “study” of the issue. How inept is that — back burner again, for yet another legislative session.
If Measure 5 fails and the legislators fail to address the issue as they have in the past, we are back to square one where it will only be a misdemeanor to burn a puppy alive. Do we really want to take that chance and rely on the politicians to make things right?
There are no guarantees that the Legislature will pass any meaningful animal cruelty law, but if Measure 5 were to pass at least there is something that will offer our pets the most basic protections.
Measure 5 is very specific and it would enact an animal cruelty law that would make it a felony to intentionialy harm a dog, cat or horse by horrific means such as decapitation, disembowelment, or setting on fire.
It protects North Dakota’s dogs, cats and horses from the worst forms of animal cruelty now.
Furthermore, voters are not facing an either/or choice. The existing laws regarding animal cruelty need to be seriously updated and strengthened and Measure 5 will not prohibit groups from introducing these much needed amendments. But again, we are assuming the legislators will embrace this needed new legislation to protect our pets and pass these proposals.
Maybe the third (or fourth) time is a charm but I am not counting on it.
Our animals need protections now. Vote yes on Measure 5. Please visit North Dakotans to Stop Animal Cruelty to see the myths vs. facts on Measure 5 www.ndstopcruelty.com/myths-vs-facts.
Melissa Gordon, Dickinson
Tags: opinion, letter, letters
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