Besides the right to farm ballot initiative, North Dakotans may also vote this November on another plebiscite related to animals.
North Dakotans to Stop Animal Cruelty, a coalition of animal shelters, veterinarians and animal control officers, is advocating for stronger animal cruelty laws in the state.
Its proposed ballot initiative would make aggravated cruelty toward cats, dogs and horses a felony.
Therefore, any person who intentionally burns, poisons, suffocates, bludgeons, drags or seriously harms a cat, dog or horse could be charged with a felony. The state is only one of three in the United States, along with South Dakota and Idaho, which classify extreme animal cruelty as a misdemeanor.
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“Right now our state’s cruelty laws are sadly lagging behind those of the rest of the country,” said Alison Smith of Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue in Mandan, N.D.
“North Dakotans want better protections for our companion animals.”
A public opinion poll last fall found that 63 percent of North Dakotans strongly supported the proposed changes.
However, agricultural groups such as the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association oppose the proposed ballot initiative.
“It’s narrow in its focus, focusing only on three species. It doesn’t include the more common forms of animal mistreatment so we don’t think it would move the needle on the care of animals,” said Julie Ellingson, executive-vice president of the stockmen’s association.
As well, the Humane Society of the United States endorses the proposed changes, which is a large, red flag for the stockmen’s association.
“(It’s) a group that has a long track record of working against animal agriculture,” Ellingson said.
In response to the animal cruelty ballot initiative, the stockmen’s association, other farm groups, the North Dakota Veterinary Medical Association and two local humane societies are proposing alternate legislation that will protect all animals rather than not just horses, cats and dogs.
On June 14, North Dakotans for Responsible Animal Care released its proposed changes to the state’s Humane Treatment of Animals law. The coalition is proposing legislative changes that are larger in scope than the animal cruelty plebiscite.
The changes would strengthen animal care laws, addressing animal abandonment, neglect and cruelty.
As well, it would impose penalties based on the severity of abuse: small penalties for slight offenses and felonies for the most serious crimes.
