I have successfully lobbied for strong laws to prohibit and punish animal cruelty. In 1995, a poor, helpless donkey named “Pasado” was savagely beaten to death. Few other cases sparked more public outrage. The outrage was widespread. It came from all parts of the country, and the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office even received letters from around the world regarding this case.
At that time, animal cruelty was a simple misdemeanor. A misdemeanor undervalued an animal’s life and underestimated the threat posed by offenders who intentionally torture or kill helpless animals.
I took a leadership role in successfully lobbying the State Legislature to pass laws making animal cruelty a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison. In 2005, I also supported legislation that made it a crime to dehydrate or starve an animal to death.
I have also ensured that all animal cruelty cases referred to our office are reviewed by the same lead Deputy Prosecuting Attorney to establish a more consistent and uniform prosecution of these types of cases.