As a result of the activities at the 129 Maine Legislative session, the animal welfare landscape in Maine has a few adjustments well worth noting. Animal welfare advocates came together in support of several pieces of legislation, marshaled the troops, and successfully passed a number of initiatives. With thanks and acknowledgment to our colleagues at Maine Friends of Animals, we offer the following synopses:
• LD 64, “An Act to Make Post-conviction Possession of Animals a Criminal Offense.”
The bill was designed to deter animal cruelty by enacting legislation to impact repeat animal cruelty offenders. Those convicted of animal cruelty are sometimes prohibited, by Court order, from owning or possessing additional animals. The then-existing statute treated violations of such an order as “contempt.” Under the new statute those violations are treated as a separate crime, giving prosecutors better remedies for the circumstances.
• LD 1311, “An Act Regarding the Sale of Dogs and Cats at Pet Shops.” The bill bans “puppy mill” animals and Maine pet shops from selling cats and dogs.
• LD 1442, “An Act to Provide for Court Appointed Advocates for Justice in Animal Cruelty Cases.”
This legislation allows the court to appoint volunteer law students and attorneys as participants in animal-related matters. In Maine, the bill became known as “Franky’s Law,” drawing attention to a horrific case of animal cruelty in Downeast Maine wherein a pug was kidnapped, tortured, and killed by two men. On November 14th, one of the two men charged in the matter was convicted of the crime of aggravated animal cruelty in Ellsworth District court. He currently awaits sentencing in the matter.
Maine is a place where our elected representatives are generally available to their constituents and responsive as well. Your state senator or representative should be willing to respectfully listen to your opinions and ideas, whether those are consistent with their own or not. They are the individuals who have a significant impact on the public policy of animal welfare. They may help shape state senator or agricultural practices by introducing legislation, supporting or opposing legislation introduced by other legislators, or form study committees to develop solutions to known problems in how domestic animals are treated in our state. Private citizens can fulfill a major role in the process from ballot box to testimony at public hearings.
During the upcoming holiday season, please make it a priority to stop by your local animal shelter and from the shelter’s perspective learn how animal welfare in Maine is functioning. You are invited to visit the horses at The Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals’ at 279 River Road in South Windham, Maine. New England’s premier horse shelter is open to the public every day – from 1 PM – 4 PM.
During the holiday season, each Saturday and Sunday afternoon, we will be serving complimentary seasonal refreshments and giving you a chance to enter drawings for holiday gifts from the horses.
No admission, plenty of parking, and gorgeous, rehabilitated horses to celebrate the season with you. As always, if you are hoping to acquire a horse of your own, please remember, “Don’t shop – adopt!”
Meris Bickford, Chief Executive Officer of Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals(MSSPA). Her resume also has experience as an Assistant Attorney General, Bureau Chief for Child and Family Services and Chief Administrative Hearing Officer at Maine’s Department of Human Service.
