Massachusetts Bill Allows Animal Rights Activists to Sue Sportsmen

[CG6468]

Massachusetts Bill Allows Animal Rights Activists to Sue Sportsmen
 
Posted on March 1, 2013
 
Massachusetts State Senator Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford) recently introduced a bill that would allow private individuals to file a lawsuit for the “protection and humane treatment of animals.”   This is of great concern for all sportsmen, farmers, and dog owners.
 
Animal cruelty is already a crime in Massachusetts just as it is across the country.  Animal cruelty laws are enforced by experienced law enforcement officers, including local police forces and animal control officers, who are trained on what is and is not animal cruelty under the law and how to spot it.
 
Senate Bill 767 would end this proven system and instead give private citizens the ability to sue animal owners over what they perceive to be “animal cruelty” under the law.
 
“Under this bill, animal rights activists would be able to sue anyone – including sportsmen, farmers, and dog owners – whenever and wherever they think animal cruelty is being committed,” said Evan Heusinkveld, USSA’s Director of Government Affairs.  “This could force sportsmen and women who have done nothing wrong to spend thousands of dollars to defend themselves against animal rights zealots looking to take them to court.”

Just when you thought MA has gone off the deep end...

[JohnnyReb]

Animal cruelty laws were big in NAZI Germany too......cruelty to humans, not so much.

[longview]

Bad idea.  Too many people are too far removed from the natural world and aren't able to differentiate normal behavior from abuse sometimes.  I bet most people in Massachusetts think this can't affect them.  Probably think it only covers things like dog fighting, gross neglect, etc.

That was one of Cass Sunstein's big pet projects - to give animals equal rights and allow/encourage human advocates to bring suit on the animal's behalf.  He was appointed as administrator to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.  He left and went to work at Havard Law School last fall.  

A real twit.  I used to have quite a collection of his neurotic writings from when he was at the Univ. of Chicago.  He was a favored speaker and well read by the animal rights (not welfare) kooks.  He seemed to be less able to influence opinion and statute once he was in DC.  Wonder if he had anything to do with this law or if he was just drawn to a favorable political climate.

[NHSparky]

While I have a small amount of faith that the dipshits infesting Beacon Hill will let this die, I also know there's enough dipshits infesting Beacon Hill this just might pass.

As soon as we get rid of Maggie Hassan and the flatlanders, I'm going to talk to O'Brien and get funding to put a barrier and DMZ around the NH borders.  Stupid like that should not be allowed to cross into our state, yet sadly, it does.