In most parts of the United States, our beloved family pets are considered legally indistinguishable from a piece of furniture. This might seem like just a legal oddity, but it has real consequences when pets are abused and families try to get justice. Since brutality against furniture is not an actual violent crime, brutality against animals is similarly just considered “property damage.” If someone harms, torments, or even murders your fur baby, often the only thing courts can offer you is monetary compensation.
Anyone who has had and loved a pet knows that your animal is not just your property. Losing an animal is tragic and soul-crushing. On top of that, animal abuse is a violent crime and it’s time for our laws to reflect the severity of these offenses. Many of the most violent serial killers throughout history started off torturing animals, but if our laws don’t see this as more serious than scratching a car, we can’t stop these perpetrators before their crimes escalate. All 50 U.S. states must take action now. Please sign the petition to elevate pets in the eyes of the law from simply being property so we can protect them better!