Last year, a dog named Buddy was found with an extension cord wrapped around his neck, and nearly his entire face burned. He was set on fire by a child in Mississippi and was left to suffer. The 12-year-old confessed, but even though this crime would have been a felony punishable by up to three years in prison, under Mississippi state law, children under the age of 12 can not be charged with a crime or evaluated. The public and many officials were frustrated over this case and set to create Buddy’s Law.

Source: WJTV 12 News/Youtube

Buddy’s Law requires children who torture animals to receive counseling and treatment. Thanks to organizations like In Defense of Animals and politicians, Buddy’s Law passed the state Senate in March, and after lots of hard work, Mississippi has now officially enacted Buddy’s Law!

The costs of the psychiatric evaluation or treatment prescribed by the court will be paid by the parents or by the state if offenders are wards of the state. Parents will be held in contempt if they refuse to follow recommendations by the court.

After the bill almost did not pass the first time, it passed the Senate without opposition in February but died in the House Judiciary B Committee after it was refused to be pushed to the floor for a vote. While supporters were disappointed, no one gave up. Finally, Buddy’s Law was ultimately attached to another bill, and it passed and was signed by Gov. Tate Reeves and went into effect on July 1.

We hope this will encourage other states to enact similar legislation too.

Animal abuse is more prevalent than many may think. According to PetPedia, every 60 seconds, an animal suffers from abuse, with more than 65 percent being dogs. More than 10 million animals die from abuse every year in the US alone, not including the livestock bred for consumption, who also suffer immense abuse. Animal abuse happens everywhere and is a serious issue. We need more laws to protect animals and hold abusers accountable.

Sign this petition to demand all states make all animal abuse a felony now!

Related Content:

• Buddy’s Law: Mississippi Senate Passes Law Mandating Psychological Treatment for Kids Who Commit Animal Cruelty
• George Washington University Law School Introduces Animal Law as Legal Discipline
• Florida Dad Arrested After Killing Daughter’s Dogs By Locking Them in a Hot Car for Three Days
• 30 Dead Dogs and Cats Found in Home of Animal Rescue CEO
• Alan Cumming Doubles PETA Reward to Find Former Chimpanzee Co-Star Who Mysteriously Disappeared

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that are raising awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your own food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!