Animal Cruelty Laws in the US

Did you know that it is a second degree misdemeanor in Florida to articifially color and sell certain animals (think Easter), unless you’re in the livestock business?

You can find this tidbit and others, for each state, on the ASPCA’s website. Simply pick your state and see what laws are on the books.

The language of the laws is fascinating, and you’ll find yourself wondering what some of the laws DO cover, once you read all the exceptions.

In Idaho, for instance, "breeding, raising, producing or marketing domestic fur-bearing animals . . . is deemed an agricultural pursuit . . . . Such animals will be deemed livestock and their products will be deemed agricultural products." This provides fur-producers all the protection of slaughterhouses. (Click here for other interesting Idaho verbiage.)

If you’re ever planning on adding lobbying to your repertoire of activist activities, your first step is to educate yourself on what your state DOES cover. It would behoove you to look throughout the country for examples of other laws, in case you’ve got a particular issue in mind.