should animals abusers be punished more severely?

[hazelnut]

I believe the reason why people poison the neighbor's dog when it barks, or torture and kill the pet of someone they had a fight with, or just murder feral cats, or their own pets is because they know their punishment won't be severe enough.

i think the laws to protect animals today is a joke. not intimidating enough.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Which animals?

All animals? Only kittens? Barking dogs?

You might want to familiarize yourself with animal protection laws. Pay close attention to what is laughingly known as the "minimum standards".

Needless to say, I believe the punishment seldom fits the crime but more to the point, we not only allow incredible cruelty, we pay for it.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Anyone convicted of murder, be it animal or person should be executed in the same manner as they murdered their victim. If the death penalty is to have deterrent properties, make it scary and painful.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Many if not most serial murderers began by murdering animals. Let's save some time and people and execute animal murderers too.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

6th commandment btw doesn't differentiate between people and animals.

"Under Jewish law, animals have some of the same rights as humans do. Animals rest on Shabbat, as humans do (Ex. 20:10). We are forbidden to muzzle an ox to prevent it from eating while it is working in the field (Deut. 25:4), just as we must allow human workers to eat from the produce they are harvesting (Deut. 23:25-26). Animals can partake of the produce from fields lying fallow during the sabbatical year (Ex. 23:11).

Several commandments demonstrate concern for the physical or psychological suffering of animals. We may not plow a field using animals of different species (Deut. 22:10), because this would be a hardship to the animals. We are required to relieve an animal of its burden, even if we do not like its owner, do not know its owner, or even if it is ownerless (Ex. 23:5; Deut. 22:4). We are not permitted to kill an animal in the same day as its young (Lev. 22:28), and are specifically commanded to send away a mother bird when taking the eggs (Deut 22:6-7), because of the psychological distress this would cause the animal. In fact, the Torah specifically says that a person who sends away the mother bird will be rewarded with long life, precisely the same reward that is given for honoring mother and father (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16), and indeed for observing the whole Torah (Deut. 4:40). This should give some indication of the importance of this law.

We are permitted to violate Shabbat to a limited extent to rescue an animal in pain or at risk of death. For example, we can move them if they are in pain, move objects that we would not otherwise be permitted to touch to relieve their pain, we may give them medicine, and we may ask non-Jews to do things that would violate Shabbat to help a suffering animal.

In the Talmud, the rabbis further dictated that a person may not purchase an animal unless he has made provisions to feed it, and a person must feed his animals before he feeds himself (interpreting Deut. 11:15). "

more,
Judaism 101 Treatment of Animals

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Now, if only it also covered all animal cruelty.



Zeroing In On Sociopaths: Feds Finally Make Animal Cruelty a Top-Tier Felony
The move will finally offer a way to track animal abuse and analyze crimes against animals.
October 10, 2014 |



The last big bust of a dogfighting ring in the U.S. spanned several Southern states and rescued 367 pit bulls destined for lives of misery and eventually violent deaths.


That was in August 2013. Since then, dog fighting busts have spanned the country, some discovered in drug raids, others revealed as gambling operations, others some combination of both. Animal welfare groups say thousands of dog fighting rings are operating nationwide and that the numbers may be increasing.


But no one can say for sure as neither law enforcement organizations nor animal welfare groups know how many dogs or people were involved in fight rings last year. No one can say with certainty how many people were arrested for organizing — or attending — these fights or if the numbers are more or less than other years. No reliable national statistics about dog fighting are available. In fact, no comprehensive national statistics involving any crimes against animals—torture, physical abuse or neglect—are kept.


That’s why animal welfare groups and law enforcement organizations are hailing the FBI’s decision to change the way it categorizes animal cruelty crimes. In a move advocacy and the National Sheriffs Association consider a big step forward in preventing and prosecuting cruelty to animals and associated crimes, the FBI is making animal cruelty a Group A felony, along with homicide, arson and assault. The move, announced two weeks ago, will take animal cruelty out of the category of “other” crimes not considered major by the FBI and will offer a way to track animal abuse.


For many in the animal welfare community, the change is a sign that the federal government is finally acknowledging the well-established fact that people love animals. Americans live with an estimated 74 million cats and 70 million dogs (as well as 3.7 million birds, 1.8 million horses and uncounted fish, reptiles, rabbits, pigs and other creatures considered pets or companions, according to the Humane Society of the United States).That’s a four-fold increase in companion animals since the 1960s (though the human population has only doubled). Moreover, 90 percent of those surveyed say they consider their animals family members and 80 percent would risk their lives for them.