Agricultural News
President trump Signs the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act into Law
Wed, 27 Nov 2019 14:57:42 CST
On Monday night, President Donald Trump signed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act into law, making it the first federal anti-cruelty law in American history.
"We have a responsibility to honor the dignity of God's creation," said President Trump. "With today's act, we take the critical step toward being more responsible and humane stewards of our planet and all who we want to cherish and take care of, and all of those who live on it."
The PACT Act would prohibit extreme acts of cruelty when they occur in interstate commerce or on federal property. It also cracks down on sexual abuse of animals.
"A society should be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable," said Drew Edmondson, former Oklahoma Attorney General and co-chair of the Animal Wellness Law Enforcement Council. "Prevention of animal cruelty and torture will help define us as a society and it is altogether fitting that Congress make this a national priority. The PACT Act complements state and territorial anti-cruelty laws, just as the federal government's ban on staged animal fighting fortifies state-based anti-dogfighting and anti-cockfighting laws."
While current federal law bans the sale of videos showing illegal acts of cruelty, it does not prohibit the conduct.
"We're thrilled to see the first anti-cruelty statute in American history signed into law and applaud President Trump and the Congress for providing the voiceless with a level of protection never seen before," said Marty Irby, executive director at Animal Wellness Action. "The PACT Act will allow federal authorities to crack down on the most egregious of animal abusers and help keep American pets safe from harm."
The bill had wide support with 302 cosponsors in the House and 41 in the Senate.
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