I got a press release the other day from the Animal Wellness Foundation saying that U.S. Reps. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., Joe Neguse, D-Colo., Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., had introduced the Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act, (H.R. 8052), that would create a new Animal Cruelty Crimes section within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), housed within the Environment and Natural Resources Division.
I think this is far overdue.
The release said the measure is supported by Animal Wellness Action and the Animal Wellness Foundation’s Animal Wellness National Law Enforcement Council (NLEC) co-chaired by former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, and former Oregon District Attorney Josh Marquis; SPCA International; the Center for a Humane Economy; Horses for Life Foundation; and American Horse Protection Society.
Animal Wellness Action President Wayne Pacelle said the U.S. has rampant dogfighting and cockfighting, bestiality, the sale of animal crush videos, horse soring, and other forms of extreme exploitation.
I’ve heard of dogfighting and cockfighting and knew these things are still going on in our world today. It’s awful what people do to their animals for their mere pleasure of fun and gaming.
BUT bestiality, the sale of animal crush videos and horse soring? What the heck?!?
I know what bestiality means and think that these people need some serious mental help. But I didn’t know what an animal crush video was or horse soring.
Horse soring is when they use chemicals or mechanical devices to cause pain to the front feet and legs of horses when they touch the ground. This results in the horses picking up their front feet higher and faster than they would do naturally.
The Humane Society of the United States said Tennessee walking horses, commonly suffer from the practice of soring. Other gaited breeds, such as racking horses and spotted saddle horses, also fall victim.
Blistering agents like mustard oil, diesel fuel and kerosene are used causing extreme pain and suffering.
This practice is illegal under the horse protection act. But if you watch some of these super fancy horse show videos, you know dang well this practice is still being used and being praised by the judges.
The Humane Society said lack of funding meant that states could train and license their own inspectors to examine horses at shows for signs of soring. Of those only a few are deeply committed to ending soring, most are made up of industry insiders who have a clear stake in preserving the status quo.
But wait it gets worse!
I had no idea what an animal crush video was. In my head I pictured those cute videos you see online of otters playing together in the water, or kittens playing, or dogs playing with a water house. You know the kind of videos that brighten your day, make you smile and make you say, “Oh, I want another puppy.”
Sadly, I was WAY OFF.
Animal Crush videos are made by sickos who film other sickos crushing, typically baby animals, to DEATH, for the sexual gratification of the other sickos watching the videos.
This is so SICK. What is wrong with these people?
After learning what it was, literally Monday morning, I recalled a Netflix Docu-series I watched about a year ago called, “Don’t F*** with Cats.”
A real SICK individual, Luka Magnotta, was posting several videos of himself killing different kittens. Sickos followed this guy and would pay to watch some of these videos. Magnotta went from killing animals to murdering and dismembering a young man and mailing his body parts to various location throughout Canada.
Magnotta VIDEOTAPED the murder and uploaded it online.
The Netflix series shows how a bunch of animal rights activists worked together, assisting authorities in tracking him down.
He is in Canadian jail where he will serve a mandatory life sentence.
In my opinion there is a special place in hell for people who intentionally kill or harm animals.
Unfortunately, there are several people like Magnotta, who show signs of mental illness. It starts with the senseless killings of an innocent kitten, puppy, birds…etc.
So, when I got the press release, I was thrilled to learn that in the past two years, Congress and the President have strengthened the legal framework against animal abuse, enacting the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, the Parity in Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act, Pet and Women Safety Act, the Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act, and other federal statutes criminalizing malicious acts of cruelty.
According to the release, the introduction of the authorizing bill comes on the heels of a successful effort in the House to use $1 million from the Legal Activities account to enforce animal welfare laws.
Language was also included directing DOJ to make enforcement of animal cruelty laws a priority and to establish a dedicated section to handle animal cruelty crimes.
It’s about time we do something about animal abuse! We must put an end to dogfighting, cockfighting, bestiality, animal crush videos, horse soring, and other forms of animal abuse.
Patty Leon
Senior Editor