PHOENIX — Animal advocates are celebrating an animal welfare-related victory following the passage of SB 1658 in the Senate and House.
SB 1658 specifies basic care for domestic animals and helps protect them from neglect and abuse. The bill makes it a requirement for pet owners to provide adequate food, water, and shelter for their animals.
Under the current law, a puddle of dirty water could be considered adequate drinking water for animals, Joe Casados, Arizona Humane Society’s public relations and social media manager, told Cronkite News earlier this year.
This bill ultimately broadens the conditions under which animal cruelty can be charged, and the Arizona Humane Society says it targets the "bare minimum" that animals should have. It also adds penalties for failing to provide medical attention to prevent unreasonable suffering.
"How we treat our animal friends says a lot about our society," said Senator Bolick, who sponsored the bill. "There are too many stories of animal cruelty around Arizona, leading to the necessity of this legislation to help protect their well-being. These innocent animals are voiceless, but when they suffer, it speaks volumes. It is time for our state to take decisive action to defend the animals that depend on us for safekeeping. I applaud both my Republican and Democrat colleagues for their support in passing this bill out of the Senate, and I call on Governor Hobbs to sign the proposal when it comes to her desk."
SB 1658, previously SB 1234, had stalled and struggled to make it this far for several months, and a similar bill was introduced last year.
The bill will now be headed to Governor Katie Hobbs for review.
Steven Hansen, President and CEO of the Arizona Humane Society, previously emphasized the importance of the bill, calling it the most significant animal legislation in a decade.
SB 1658 was nicknamed “Jerry’s Law,” named after a dog named Jerry, who survived a large-scale animal abuse case in Chandler, which inspired the bill.
To report signs of animals in distress, call your local police department or Arizona Humane Society's Emergency Animal Medical Technicians at 602-997-7585, ext. 2073.
