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FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE: petitions for dog theft and injustice
Dog Theft in the United States
Every year in the U.S., an estimated 2 million domestic animals are victims of dog theft with only up to 10% those dogs being recovered by their owners. Most state laws in the U.S. don’t agree with the concept of considering dog members as a part of one’s family while 92% of pet parents do view their dogs as being members of their family.
Why does the U.S. law not see kidnapping a dog as a severe criminal offense when kidnapping a person is seen as one? Most of the state laws in the U.S. do not even have specific laws for stolen pets. Dogs are rather viewed as personal property. This would explain why the issue of dog theft will normally fall under larceny laws and a state’s general theft law due to dog theft being viewed as similar to theft of items such as a television, jewelry, clothing, etc.
There are just 15 states in the U.S. that have addressed dog theft in their criminal codes, and these states are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Virginia, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia.
Each state in the U.S. differ in their criminal charges and penalties regarding the specific criminal codes for dog theft. Dog theft is usually considered to be a misdemeanor in most states, and the consequences will typically include pretty small fines with not much jail time (or no jail time at all).
Pets Are Family Not Property
What is the inspiration behind Kano’s Law? (Our Story)
In February 2022, Kano was given to me as a foster pup by my coworker. Kano’s primary caretaker and owner was sadly diagnosed with health issues and temporarily placed in a care facility. Her adult son lived with her, but was incarcerated once again for a DUI and/or related charges. As a result, Kano was abandoned in a home with no heat in the frigid winter. The other dog in the home was discovered by my coworker deceased and decaying amongst the house debris.
Kano arrived at my home on February 18th. I was not and had not been prepared for the condition in which Kano arrived. He was dirty and horribly emaciated. Kano was so dehydrated that his coat was plagued with dandruff, his lips were cracked and bleeding, and his eyes were bloodshot and cloudy. When I took Kano to the vet, he was diagnosed with a double ear infection, interdigital dermatitis, conjunctivitis, separation anxiety, and atopic dermatitis. Over the next month, I learned from my coworker additional details about Kano’s previous living conditions. Under my care, Kano thrived.
On March 26th, my boyfriend, my boyfriend's cousin, and I met with Kano’s primary caretaker and owner, my coworker, and my coworker’s husband at a local dog park. Kano’s primary caretaker and owner told me and my boyfriend that we could keep Kano: “I can see how happy he is, and how much he loves you and you love him. Keep the dog.” We were officially a family. Or so we thought.
Companion Animal Theft : Gus’s Law
On Oct 4, 2017, our beloved family dog Gus was stolen from the safety of our front yard in Indiana. The thief was arrested and sentenced according to Indiana monetary theft law based on the property value of Gus.
The only reason the thief received a minuscule sentence was due to the fact that Gus was an English Bulldog who cost $3,000. The pain, suffering, grief, and despair this caused our family including 3 young daughters and Gus was far more than the punishment the convicted thief received.
Family companion pets, regardless of cost or breed should not be viewed as property with a monetary theft punishment. States need stricter laws to deter animal theft which has the high potential to lead to abuse, neglect, and resale of animals based on the lack of laws supporting animal welfare.
Make dog theft in California a serious felony
Dogs have long been considered property, and the laws in most of the US treat them as such. Under California law, the "value" of the dog is used to determine the punishment, with anything less than $950 considered a petty theft, and with maximum punishment not exceeding 1 year in prison, if any.
However, the law should reflect the impact a crime has on the victims. More than half of all American households own dogs, and according to The Harris Poll (2015), 96% of them consider them to be another member of the family. The loss of a dog, by death or theft, is an emotionally tolling experience that leaves families suffering.
On the other hand, it's not just families that suffer. Dogs are sentient beings, not inanimate objects. In a New York Times column, Gregory Berns, a neuroscientist and author, tells how he and his team used MRIs to decode the canine brain, with initial findings showing evidence that dogs empathize with humans, and are capable of experiencing positive emotions, like love and attachment.
It is estimated that around 2 million dogs are stolen each year in the US. Criminals are becoming more violent, attracted by the hefty rewards their heartbroken victims will offer to get back their canine family members. The weak dog theft laws that are in place in California are allowing criminals to operate with little accountability for their heinous acts, and are putting dog owners in danger.
Make NYC authorities take animal theft & crime seriously
I am writing because I need help and have an issue with the way NYC (and overall US gov)authorities handle cases involving animal crime. My dog was stolen and police did not even attempt to find good camera footage for nearly 3 weeks. the detective dropped the case without telling me. I understand they are busy. But if they’re that busy, then the amount of times I’ve seen officers handing out tickets in groups is astounding. Bringing in money to the city seems to be more important than serving the city. Dog theft is an epidemic here. We need NYC to start taking it seriously. Many of our abused dogs in shelters, dog fighting rings, and backyard breedings are the direct result of this kind of crime and the authorities’ inefficiency in handling these matters. A bill to make this a class E Felony just passed through the senate. But will city officials enforce it or sweep it under the rug like my case now? will our Mayor step up and help?
I thought it was NYC but I realize its our country as a whole. And that new federal law just signed in does not actually cover most animal abuse acts or crimes.. I keep seeing abusers getting off with misdemeanors. A man shot a woman’s dog in the face and admitted he had no reason and was given a citation. A man in detroit with 16 pits starved & living in filth and a dozen more in same conditions in the basement gets a misdemeanor. he was a dog fighter and they pretty much gave a slap on the wrist and let him go back to do it again. Vick DID NOT go to jail for dog fighting, he went because his money from it crossed state lines. they only break up dog fighting rings bc they know they can bust “bigger” crimes like drugs and guns. PEOPLE COMMIT CRIMES AGAINST ANIMALS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY WILL GET AWAY WITH IT. THEY KNOW AUTHORITIES DO NOT INVESTIGATE FULLY OR TREAT IT SERIOUSLY
BestFriendAnimalSociety.org Supported Petitions
END BREED RESTRICTIVE PRACTICES BY INSURANCE COMPANIES
END BREED RESTRICTIVE PRACTICES BY INSURANCE COMPANIES
END BREED RESTRICTIVE PRACTICES BY INSURANCE COMPANIES
END BREED RESTRICTIVE PRACTICES BY INSURANCE COMPANIES
END BREED RESTRICTIVE PRACTICES BY INSURANCE COMPANIES
