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Senator Moore’s animal cruelty law used to prosecute RI man who savagely attacked goose and goslings |
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May 10, 2005 - The man charged with savagely stomping five goslings to death and fatally injuring the mother of the baby goslings is being charged under a relatively new law that makes animal cruelty a felony. John A. Sanders of North Kingstown, RI, was charged Saturday with six counts of felony cruelty to animals that could result in up to five years in prison and a $2500 fine for each count. The law that increased the penalties for animal cruelty was sponsored by Senator Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge) and became effective on August 19, 2004. Senator Moore stated that the motivation for filing his bill came from an email he received from a constituent whose family was trying to cope with the brutal attack on their 1-˝ year old Labrador Retriever named Chester. In the summer of 2002, the family discovered Chester’s body with his skull crushed and covered with a trash bag. “I hope that this tragic episode reminds people that wantonly killing defenseless animals, whether wild or domesticated, brings serious legal consequences,” Senator Moore explained. “This kind of violence is also symptomatic of future violence against people,” he added, noting that studies have shown the abusers of animals often graduate to abusing spouses or children. Chapter 319 of the Acts of 2004, the law that Senator Moore drafted and successfully passed into law increased the penalty for animal cruelty, abuse and neglect from a misdemeanor limited to punishment of up to one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine to a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $2500 fine. In addition, the law also allows Department of Social Services (DSS) employees to report instances of animal abuse, cruelty or neglect when they are conducting investigations related to domestic violence. Studies have shown that homes experiencing domestic violence often have both human and animal victims. |
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