The Humane Society Legislative Fund expresses its appreciation to Senator Richard Blumenthal for sponsoring the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act.

Last year, Senator Blumenthal succeeded in upgrading the federal anti-animal fighting law, making it a crime to attend or bring a child to a dogfight or cockfighting, complementing the state prohibitions on animal fighting and other malicious acts of cruelty. There is also a federal ban on obscene video depictions of animals being tortured in perverse “snuff” films. But while filming cruelty is illegal under federal law, the cruelty itself is not. The PACT Act would provide prosecutors with a valuable additional tool when animal cruelty occurs on federal property or in interstate commerce.

It’s well established that the perpetrators of cruelty often are indiscriminate in choosing victims, one day it’s a dog or horse, another day it’s a neighborhood child or innocent passerby. This important anti-cruelty and anti-crime bill is endorsed by the National Sheriffs’ Association and the Fraternal Order of Police.

We are grateful to Senator Blumenthal for working to make our communities safer and protect animals from cruelty and abuse.

Michael Markarian

President

Humane Society Legislative Fund

Washington, DC