SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (WHAS11) – According to the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the state of Kentucky is “the single worst in the nation for animal protection laws for the fifth year running – where animal abusers get of easy.” The organization has ranked every state, territory, and district from first to fifty-sixth. They find their rankings and complete the report by tracking 14 categories of provisions and examining the general comprehensiveness and strength of their animal protection laws. It is the longest-running and most authoritative report of its kind.
Why Kentucky? The release says, “Among other weaknesses in its animal protection laws, the Bluegrass State has no felony provisions for extreme neglect or abandonment, no restrictions on future ownership of animals following a conviction, inadequate standards of basic care for animals, no requirements for mental health evaluations or counseling for offenders, inadequate animal fighting laws, and veterinarians are prohibited from reporting suspected cruelty or fighting.”
The five worst states are Kentucky, North Dakota, Idaho, Iowa, and South Dakota. On the other hand, the five best states are Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Oregon, and California. For the full report and all of the details, check out the website here.
