JACKSON, Miss. — If you own a dog or cat, you likely consider them part of the family and not just pets. One group wants to make sure they are protected by state law.
“Dog fighting, puppy mills, hording cases, torture, just regular neglect – it’s overwhelming the amount of cases (of animal abuse) we have in our state,” said Lydia Sattler, state director for the Mississippi chapter of the Humane Society of the United States.
Mississippi ranks 49th in the country for its animal cruelty laws. Sattler believes the best way to end the atrocities is to toughen the punishment against those who abuse animals. “Right now it’s a second offense felony.” A bill that would have put more teeth in the law failed this legislative session, but Sattler and other animal rights advocates say they won’t stop pushing for change. “Why we have push back is a little frustrating at times, but I do believe, step-by-step, we will make progress.”
The group held its Mississippi Humane Lobby Day in Jackson Tuesday to raise awareness of the need for tough laws. “You don’t have to love animals to make the connection,” said Sattler. “This is a basic human compassion issue. To see something suffering, let’s hope compassion is what we all feel.”
