On Monday, Gov. Katie Hobbs held a ceremonial signing event at the Arizona Humane Society after signing a new animal cruelty bill at the end of June.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office supports the passing of the new legislation after years of pushing for animal cruelty reform.
“A lot of years nothing happened and it's kind of disappointing. So I was kind of holding my breath until it actually got signed,” said Maricopa County Sheriff Deputy on the Animal Crimes Unit David Evans.
The law has been pushed through the state Legislature with support from animal advocacy groups like the Arizona Humane Society after a dog hoarding case in Chandler last year.
“The urgency of this legislation became very clear with what happened in Chandler, the Chandler 55 case,” said Rep. Matt Gress during a house committee meeting. “But because of vague statutes and legal loopholes law enforcement had limited options and leaving many of these dogs in insufferable conditions.”
Veterinarians caring for the dogs pulled from the Chandler home were unable to accurately describe the abuse seen according to the Arizona Humane Society.
“What this bill does not do — it does not increase penalties on animal cruelty,” Gress said. “What this does, it closes loopholes by clarifying and strengthening definitions of cruelty and that’s the issue here.”
Hobbs signed the bill on June 27 and will go into effect Sept. 26.
“I’d say this year it's got more teeth,” Evans said. “It basically defines stuff, which makes it a lot easier on us.”
Sen. Shawna Bolick initially introduced the bill to the Senate. After facing trouble in the House, the bill was reworked later in the legislative session.
“There has been a 20% increase in cruelty cases in just the last year in Maricopa County and we have seen similar trends statewide,” Gress said. “This bill gives law enforcement and prosecutors clear standards to act quickly, protect animals in danger and hold abusers accountable.”
The law expands animal protection laws to birds, amphibians and reptiles, dogs and cats were already defined as pets under the previous cruelty laws.
Proper food, water, shelter and medical care are now required to be provided to the pet. The law specifies these necessities have to meet the standard care of the species.
Rep. Lupe Diaz referenced a joke made with his childhood friends and said if they were going to die go outside property lines. He compared this bill to that joke, and said if an animal was on a person’s property they would be in control of the animal and possibly at fault.
“That if there is any animal under your control, you could be subject to a felony and I really do question this bill for its standing in merit,” Diaz said. “I think that a felony is really stiff for this kind of penalty.”
Failure of these requirements can result in punishments ranging from a misdemeanor to a class six felony.
Evans said the Animal Crimes Unit is happy with the change to animal cruelty laws and hopes to see more in the future. He said he specifically wants the state to follow the lead of Phoenix and ban tethering dogs outside in temperatures above 100 degrees.
“With Arizona and the heat to me it’s a no brainer, and I think that’s why Phoenix passed it,” Evans said. “I have heard nothing but good things from Phoenix after they passed it.”
