'A feel-good bill': Combating abuse to animals heads to governor's desk
Mar. 29—A recently passed bill aimed at combating animal cruelty will allow law enforcement to charge class D felonies to people who torture animals in Kentucky.
House Bill 258, also referred as "Ethan's Law," passed in the Senate Tuesday, marking years of attempts to push this bill forward.
Rep. Susan Tyler Witten, R-Louisville — an advocate for animals — sponsored the bill.
"Ever since I was little, I've always been an animal lover. I have always been compassionate about the treatment of animals," said Witten, who represents the 31st District.
When Witten started researching and understanding a correlation between animal abuse and human abuse, she said that is when she found the passing of the bill so "important," she said.
"Studies show that close to 75% violent animal abusers go on to commit other violent crimes," Witten said. "If we can identify really severe animal abusers then that will make the community safer for people as well, especially the vulnerable, like children and the elderly."
If signed by Gov. Andy Beshear, the bill will amend KRS 525.135 to define torture as "the intentional infliction of or subjection to extreme physical pain or serious injury and includes situations in which torture results from the restraint of a dog or cat."
In addition, the signage will change the charges.
"There are three components that have to exist to make it by definition, torture, you have to have intent to cause pain and injury to a dog or cat, cause extreme physical injury or infirmity, then you have to be restraining the dog or cat," Witten said.
"We have expanded definitions of torture, physical injury and physical infirmity," she added.
Ethan, a dog who suffered abuse and neglect and showed signs of malnutrition, has served as a catalyst for change. His owner, Jeff Calloway, told lawmakers in February that Ethan was traded for drugs and endured a "hellish" life.
"When they found him he was around 35 pounds and now he is about 150 pounds," Witten said. "Three years ago, this dog got national attention because he was found nearly dead, had been severely tortured. ... It got to be a viral story where everyone was checking in to see how Ethan was doing every day.
"We use the torture he endured to make good out of it," she said.
Witten called out the state for lacking laws curbing animal abuse. She said Kentucky has been "amongst the worst" in the country.
"Kentucky ranks among the nation's worst states for animal abuse. We can do better and we should," she said in a press release.
Witten said she expects Beshear to sign the bill with flying colors.
"I have no doubt he will sign it; it's a feel-good bill," Witten said.
(606) 326-2657 — ajohnson@dailyindependent.com