Kansas Senate Doesn't Think Animal Cruelty is a Felony 

March 21, 2001 Topeka, Kansas, USA

Despite the persistent efforts from Kansas Senator David Haley, the senate rejected the proposed amendment that would make animal torture and extreme animal cruelty a felony.

Senator Haley had championed the proposal, nicknamed "Scruffy's Law", beginning in 1997.  That was the year that four Kansas City boys (Wyandotte County) tortured and killed a 6-pound, 12-year-old Yorkshire terrier named Scruffy.

Scruffy was shot with a pellet rifle, placed in a plastic bag, doused with flammable liquid, set on fire while still alive and beaten repeatedly with a shovel.  The perpetrators videotaped the whole event.

Jose Gutierrez (age 17), Marcus Rodriguez (age 18), Richard Golubski (age 20) and Lance Arsenalt (age 21) only faced misdemeanor charges for animal cruelty under current Kansas law.  (Click here for details on their sentencing.)

"Scruffy's Law" (SB 229) would have made it a felony to intentionally kill, maim, torture, burn, mutilate or cause serious physical injury to an animal. The measure previously passed the Kansas House but has twice died in the Senate.

SB 229 was defeated by a 19-10 vote in yesterday's afternoon session.  Individual legislators' votes have not yet been published in the Senate Journal.

One of the Good Guys, Senator Haley has been backing Scruffy's Law since '97 (Email Sen. Haley).

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What recent animal legislation has been passed/rejected in your state?
Click here.

What current animal legislation is pending in your state?  
Click here.

For legislation outside the USA:
Canada, UK.

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