An Appeal To Reason, Heinous Animal Abuse Warrants State Animal Abuse Registry
Reconciling Nonhuman Animal Anthroparchy Via Accountable Application.
Heralded advancement in animal welfare sentiment can best be compared to that the speed of a sloth. Arguably, asserted by those who conjecture a species proven sentience and those who remain unwavering in the exploitation of factory farming and laboratories that willingly choose to experiment, torture, dissect and artificially induce diseases on their victims in the name of science. Noting, many times the procedures being performed are without the use of anesthesia. By estimation, over 100 million Nonhuman Animals are killed and then discarded each year as the result of vehement experimentation despite a recent Pew Research Center poll finding 52 percent of U.S. adults oppose the use of animals in scientific research. This anomaly further suggests that most people believe that animal experimentation is unnecessary for medical advancement supporting the preferment of technology and relative means of quantitative analysis. Juxtaposition, despite the discourse among those abolitionists when discussing animal welfare, most will agree, however, that there is no justification for those individuals who willfully neglect, abuse, and or torture an animal.
Proven research in criminology demonstrates that both abusive and heinous acts are symptomatic of a psychological discomposure in the individual, and in most cases susceptible to reoccurrence. While the recent Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act made it a crime to crush, drown, burn, or inflict physical harm on animals, if prosecuted, the abuser is seldom charged. Ambiguous in definition, different states’ laws define negligence in their own way while the act, in itself, may not be enough to constitute a Class A Felony as defined, thus rarely enforced. As the debate rages on, most will not deny the need for an animal abuse registry that serves both to curtail animal exploitation and as a vetting opportunity for law enforcement, shelters, fosters, animal control facilities, and doctors, thus providing for a means of reference congruent for those who are suspect.
The history of Nonhuman Animal abuse dates as far back as the human need for sustenance. The obvious being that for consumption and clothing, animals were also ritualized in sacrifice and forced into labor either on farms or during transportation. Finally, the use of animals in experimental practices only furthered to amplify the malfeasance. While human vivisection, (experimentation on a live subject) is considered a form of torture, to this day is an accepted practice on millions of objectified animals each year. Those very same sentient creatures, similar to humans, having the proven ability to experience consciousness, emotions, and pain. Meanwhile, despite empirical evidence to the contrary, the debate over an animal’s conscious being and the philosophical assumption of human speciesism continues. Consider, in 1789 the publication, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation by British philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832). He went on to say, “The question is not ‘can they reason?’ nor ‘can they talk?’ but ‘can they suffer?’”
Methodology through effective advocacy allows for utility in a modern civilized world without the exhaustive red tape of bureaucracy for those instances of flagrant abuse, be it animal hoarding, neglect of livestock, puppy mills, or random incidents of egregious animal cruelty. On a local level, for example, McHenry County, Illinois conducted over 300 animal cruelty investigations in 2021 alone. Since then, the Animal Legal Defense Fund recently selected McHenry County, Illinois in launching a Collaborative Response Project, to address the plague of animal cruelty cases. The Collaborative Response Project will create partnerships between veterinarians, law enforcement, and prosecutors in McHenry County and provide training and resources for veterinary forensics and case investigation. Illinois representative of being ground zero in many animal abuse cases.
Consider:
In 2019 a West Chicago kennel operator was found guilty in the deaths of 31 dogs that perished in a fire, most of the deceased dogs found trapped inside stacked cages. Those dogs that survived, many were found malnourished and suffering from previous injuries. Owner, Garrett Mercado, was given a mere 20-day sentence despite several charges.
In October 2019, Mercer County resident, Karen Plambeck was charged with animal cruelty for keeping a halter on a horse for so long, that it became implanted into the horse’s face. More recently, in December 2022, Plambeck was discovered to have the biggest animal hoarding case ever discovered in Illinois. Over 200 dogs were removed from deplorable conditions where Plambeck is being charged with aggravated animal cruelty and a total of 12 Class 4 felony charges.
In 2020, Corrine DiLorenzo, 38, was accused of intentionally causing the death of a variety of companion animals including dogs, cats, pigs, rabbits, birds, goats, raccoons, and turtles between 2014 and 2018. Jodie Wiederkehr, the executive director of Chicago Alliance for Animals, suggested they knew of 700 animals that are missing or presumed dead.
West Chicago scene where 31 Dogs perished in a Kennel left unattended.
Promising while plodding, in 2016, the FBI added animal cruelty to its list of Class A felonies, while more recently in Illinois, beginning 2022 it became illegal for anyone convicted of an animal abuse felony offense to own or live with an animal. The Quincy Illinois Humane Society Executive Director, Pilar Brumbaugh suggested, while the new law won’t change anything they do, she is glad other shelters will make sure their animals stay safe. “That background check is huge for us, so this just puts us in with what the state is doing,” Brumbaugh said. “I think it’s really great that everybody will be on the same page for the state of Illinois, all focusing on the animals.” The relatively new law, however, falls short in a readily accessible database that could be easily shared.
An Illinois Bill brought to the floor of the Illinois General Assembly could have been the impetus for those animals in need. Despite the more recent documented animal abuse cases, Senate Bill SB3127 has been tabled since 2017, with no appointed date for resumption. SB3127 would have provided that each county establishes and maintain a local registry of offenders to be known as, The Local Animal Abuse Registry, that a public central record of offenders be required to register, and that a person subject to registration who violates the provisions is guilty of a Class 3 felony for the first offense, and a Class 2 felony for subsequent offenses.
For those who fail to rationalize the need for an Animal Abuse Registry, it has been demonstrated that crimes against animals contribute to fostering the seed in those individuals prone to domestic violence, sexual abuse, and in many cases, mental illness. The National Sheriffs’ Association has cited studies linking animal abuse—most famously, murders committed by serial killers like Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and the “Son of Sam” killer David Berkowitz. According to National Sheriffs’ Association director, John Thompson, “If somebody is harming an animal, there is a good chance they also are hurting a human.” Further, “If we see patterns of animal abuse, the odds are that something else is going on.” In a recent finding, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found that a study of school massacre perpetrators found that 43% of perpetrators were reported to have committed acts of animal cruelty.
Is this not finally a sample of bipartisan truce legislation we all seek that could easily be drafted into concise language and brought to the Illinois General Assembly? In addition, to begging for the empathy needed in saving the lives of those creatures that bring us joy each day?
“Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to.” ~ Alfred A. Montapert ~