LANSING – A plan to fight animal cruelty sponsored by State Representative John Espinoza (D-Croswell) was signed into law Thursday, increasing penalties for people convicted of cruelty against animals and giving prosecutors the tools they need to hold the worst offenders accountable.
"The new laws send a clear message that Michigan takes animal cruelty very seriously, and people who are involved in this horrific crime will pay a steep price," Espinoza said. "After the Buel Township case exposed a weakness in the legal system, I made it a priority to get these bills through the Legislature this year. The new laws enable us to give the worst offenders the punishment they deserve and, hopefully, prevent extreme cases like this from ever happening in the future."
The Buel Township case earlier this year involved 70 dead or starving animals that were discovered on a farm on Marlette Road. Prosecutors could not charge the owners with felonies because they could not prove the "willful" and "malicious" intent toward an animal that current law requires. Other violations are misdemeanors, and the maximum punishment is 93 days in jail.
Espinoza's laws makes the definition of felony animal cruelty and neglect more specific. It allows prosecutors and judges to make decisions based on the defendant's previous animal cruelty or neglect convictions and the number of animals harmed. A perpetrator with a prior offense – or one who is convicted in an abuse or neglect case involving four to nine animals – can be sent to prison for up to two years. A perpetrator with two or more prior convictions – or one convicted of abusing or neglecting 10 or more animals – can be imprisoned for up to four years.
Sanilac County Prosecutor James Young, who accompanied Espinoza to the bill-signing ceremony at the Capitol with Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, praised Espinoza for his work.
"Representative Espinoza quickly understood the need to fix the system so that authorities can protect the animals in our community, who have no way of protecting themselves," Young said. "The new laws give prosecutors the tools and flexibility we need to bring the worst offenders to justice. Representative Espinoza's work will have a lasting impact on Michigan's ability to effectively fight animal cruelty and neglect."