The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s 2023 Animal Protection State Laws Ranking Report is out. The report assesses the strength of each state and territory’s animal protection laws.
Why It’s Important: Private citizens can cause a favorable impact in implementing change in animal welfare laws. In 2021, residents of Wallingford, Connecticut were upset that the animals in their town shelter were stuck in sweltering conditions without air conditioning. A new law was passed last year requiring Connecticut municipal animal shelters to have heating and cooling systems that maintain an indoor temperature between 55 to 80 degrees.
You can see at a glance, see how your state ranks below, from green to brown.
The top five states for animal protection laws were:
– Oregon
– Maine
– Illinois
– Massachusetts
– Colorado
The five worst states or animal protection laws were:
– Kentucky
– South Carolina
– Idaho
– Alabama
– North Dakota
Some states offer more robust protection of farmed animals and wildlife. Guardians may be required to provide shelter and protection from the elements for the animals in their care. Nine states now prohibit coyote-killing contests, where contestants compete to hunt and kill the largest number of coyotes. Other states have passed laws requiring cross-reporting of abuse between animal and human welfare organizations or have implemented mandatory reporting by veterinarians of suspected animal cruelty cases.
Bond and Forfeit Laws are a positive trend in addressing animal cruelty cases. These laws require that the defendant either post a bond with the court covering the costs of caring for the seized animals, or forfeit the animals, allowing them to be adopted out into new homes or go to rescues. This positive trend eases the cost of caring for animals on municipal shelters and allows traumatized animals to begin the recover process sooner.
You can learn more about your state rankings or read the report here.
