Each year, the Animal Legal Defense Fund publishes a list ranking U.S. states in order of how awesome their animal protection laws are. Thankfully, we are living in a time where animals are gaining more rights and better protection from abuse and neglect. The ALDF‘s 2014 list not only let’s us see which states are the best and worst, but also any changes and successes states have made regarding animal protection in that last year.
This ranking report takes into account the strength of each jurisdiction’s animal protection laws by examining over 4,000 pages of statutes. Based off this information, each state receives a raw score based on 15 different categories in animal protection. Many states have been moving around on the last in the past year thanks to new laws protecting their animals. Rhode Island, for example, enacted a Reckless Endangerment provision that specifies “dogs in hot cars” as victims. This list gives us the best and worst states for animal protection. Here is that list and the reasons why they ranked where they are.
Image source: ALDF
5 Best States
1. Illinois
Illinois holds its position as the state with the best animal protection laws. Illinois has felony penalties for cruelty, neglect, fighting, abandonment and sexual assault. This state also has has increased penalties for repeat offenders and can require forfeiture of animals pre-conviction.
2. Maine
Maine took second place this year after passing it’s reckless endangerment law and prohibition on breed-specific legislation. Maine also has felony penalties for cruelty, neglect, fighting, abandonment and sexual assault.
3. Oregon
Oregon makes the list again with felony penalties for cruelty, neglect and fighting. Oregon also has increased penalties for cases involving multiple animals and added felonies for repeated or aggravated animal neglect.
4. California
California moved up on the list this year. They have felony penalties for cruelty, neglect and fighting as well as mandatory forfeiture of animals on conviction. Hopefully in coming years, they will increase penalties for cases involving multiple animals as well as implement felony penalties for abandonment and sexual assault.
5. Michigan
Michigan strengthened their existing felony animal cruelty laws this year. They have felony penalties for cruelty, neglect, fighting, abandonment and sexual assault and increased penalties for repeat animal abusers.
5 Worst States
1. Kentucky
Kentucky as the worst state in the U.S. concerning animal protection laws. Felony provisions are available only for cruelty and fighting in Kentucky, both against only select animals. There are no felony provisions for neglect or abandonment and no court-ordered forfeiture provisions. Veterinarians are even prohibited from reporting suspected cruelty or fighting.
2. Iowa
Ag-gag laws in Iowa make it impossible for the public to see terrible condition farms animals must face. Felony provisions available in Iowa cover only cruelty against select animals and fighting. There are no felony neglect or abandonment provisions and no mandatory forfeiture of animals upon conviction.
3. New Mexico
New Mexico has felony provisions available for only cruelty and fighting against select animals. It has inadequate felony provisions for neglect and none for animal abandonment.
4. Utah
Utah is another state with ag-gag laws in place. Felony provisions in Utah are available only for cruelty against select animals. There are no felony provisions for neglect, abandonment, or fighting of animals.
5. Wyoming
Wyoming only has felony provision for cruelty and fighting, and that is only in select animals. There are no felony neglect or abandonment provisions in place in Wyoming and there are no mandatory forfeiture of animals upon conviction.
You Can Help
Though many states are making amazing changes to their legislation to increase to protection of animals, we still see many states stuck with outdated methods of prosecuting animal abuse and neglect. The ALDF is working hard to make changes in states to increase the protection of our animals. Stay involved in your local elections and up to date on potential laws regarding animal protection. It is up to us to make the world a better place for our animals.
Lead image source: Ed Yourdon/Flickr
Your list didn\’t give me the insight I was searching on line for because it is not a list of the best and worst states for animals, it is a ranking of states based on ALDF\’s perception of laws on the books. For example, it doesn\’t consider number of factory farms, spay/neuter, animals hunted and trapped etc.; you should call it what it is so that people who are searching for legal protection laws will find it and people who aren\’t won\’t access it or maybe it doesn\’t matter, so long as you get hits. .
You should also be careful having just anyone write the intro or just publish w/o intro. Are the laws in the top five states or any place in America anywhere near awesome; if I took a tour through each top five state assessing the protection of animals would I end up thinking things were awesome? Also, the statement "we are living in a time where animals are gaining more rights" seems thoughtless. No animal in America has a right to anything; I think you know that. Leading the public to believe animals have rights does no service to them or to ALDF.
great for the 5 that are best if they even look find and prosecute these animal abusers, and to the ones on the worst list better catch up animal abuse is the start to worse to come start to care about somethings other then your\’e selfs and to Virginia you guys didn\’t make any list FIGURES