Virginia governor signs bill making animal cruelty a felony

[demmiblue]

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) on Monday signed a bill that increases the penalty for "cruelly or unnecessarily beating, maiming, mutilating, or killing a dog or cat" to a felony charge.

The bill, which is being referred to as "Tommie's Law," alters current stipulations that say an animal must die for someone to be charged with a felony, according to NBC 10, a local news affiliate.

The new law, which only applies to dogs and cats, will go into effect on July 1.

Many have dubbed the bill "Tommie's law" because the measure follows the death of a pit bull that was tied to a pole and intentionally set on fire in Richmond, Va.

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/436850-virginia-governor-signs-bill-making-animal-cruelty-a-felony

[secondwind]

1. Oh, what grand news!!!!!!

[democratisphere]

2. Ralph Northam is a great Governor for his constituents and their pets.

[lagomorph777]

13. Pets are constituents (though they only vote by proxy).

[democratisphere]

15. Agreed.

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. Good. I hope the idea spreads. nt

[Harker]

4. That's a great start. n/t

[ehrnst]

5. K&R! (nt)

[wendyb-NC]

6. Great news.

This is a very good thing.

[Polly Hennessey]

7. Wonderful.

[montanacowboy]

8. Good on Him

We need laws like this throughout the country and they have to have teeth in them. There has to be real consequences not a pat on the hand and some little fine. Send them to jail.

[demmiblue]

10. Also, props to the person who crafted the legislation:

State Sen. Bill DeSteph (R) told CBS 6 that he had been crafting the legislation for three years after a dog named Sugar was attacked with a machete in Virginia Beach.

One of the far and few times I can applaud a Republican.

[lagomorph777]

14. Credit where credit is due!

Good for him and my whole VA government.

[cwydro]

9. Good to hear.

What kind of monster sets an animal on fire?

No way I can bring myself to read the story, but I hope the monster is locked up.

[Farmer-Rick]

19. Serial killers and psychopathic murderers start on animals

Especially pets. It's the closest creature to human that they can get their hands on as children. Some abusive people also start with animal abuse.

It's always the weakest that are the target.

[appleannie1943]

11. PA signed one a couple months ago.

Hopefully it becomes a national thing.

[democrank]

12. I can't adequately express how happy I am about this.

Every state should have a law like this....or tougher.

[pazzyanne]

16. YES! Justice for our 4 footed friends!

[calimary]

17. EXCELLENT!!!

The way you treat the least of these...

[shenmue]

18. Huzzah

[JudyM]

20. Great! Animal abuse is considered trivial in so many court systems. VA is for Lovers of animals.

[Rhiannon12866]

21. We have "Buster's Law" here in New York, signed into law on TV by then-Governor Pataki!

We need to revisit this lww and make it stronger - using this VA law as a model!

[Raine]

22. Good!

Great news for animals and those who love and care about them!