Trust Rhode Island for a little "back to the future". The idea of animals having rights in court is hardly new. They had such rights, at least through the late medieval period. I believe they were usually defendants for crimes of property destruction and murder. They were even allowed counsel. At that time,there were two court systems, ecclesiastical and secular. I am not sure that both systems subscribed to animal trials.

I am suspicious of the motivation for such trials. Animals were valuable property, but property rights were few. I wonder if such trials were a means of protecting property rights which could not be independently enforced.

What??? I can't believe our elected officials are going to waste time on this. I CAN'T wait to move!!!!!!!!!!

WTF!!!

A Lorax provision. When do trees get attorneys?

Posted by Dan
"A Lorax provision. When do trees get attorneys?"

Dan, you may not have been noticing. Try cutting a tree near "vegetated wetlands". Even dead trees cannot be cut because they "provide habitation".

At last count, I have been stopped by the police 23 times, while cutting my own trees. To be fair, they were responding to reports from passersby that I was stealing trees from city property. Another story for which the world is not yet prepared.

Posted by Dan
"A Lorax provision. When do trees get attorneys?"

Dan, you may not have been noticing. Try cutting a tree near "vegetated wetlands". Even dead trees cannot be cut because they "provide habitation".

At last count, I have been stopped by the police 23 times, while cutting my own trees. To be fair, they were responding to reports from passersby that I was stealing trees from city property. Another story for which the world is not yet prepared.

If you liked that one, take a look at Senate Bill No. 2032. 4-1-41 entitled Animal Abuse Registry. It looks like it mirrors the sex offender registry law. Check it:

Within ten (10) days of receiving initial registration information from an animal abuser, the chief of police shall contact every residence, school, humane society, animal shelter and any other business within a half mile radius of the animal abuser's residence or location, and provide them with the animal abuser's registration information, with the exception of the animal abuser's social security number.

And this:
The attorney general shall maintain a central registry of animal abusers required to register pursuant to the provisions of this section. The central registry of animal abusers shall be made available to the public through internet access, telephone access, written access and in person access. All of the information contained in an animal abuser's registration, with the exception of the animal abuser's social security number, shall be made available. Records of each animal abuser's registration shall be maintained for the duration of the fifteen (15) year period in which the animal abuser is required to be registered.

Max,

Since sexual abuse of animals seems to be in the news more often, could that be the meaning of "animal abuser"? Most states have no law against it. Kinsey told us it was very common among those raised on farms.

It may be a response in part to the near-absence of serious penalties (existing or applied) for those who abuse animals. Let's give the animals advocates who can intervene, increase the penalties for animal neglect and abuse, and apply the penalties so they have some effect.

Being a taxpayer in RI gives us some insight into what it must be like to be an unprotected animal in RI. Which hell is worse?

Why don't we just assign the animal a public defender too. Oh that's right, they'll be defending the offender so the courts will have to assign the animal an attorney not affiliated with the public defender's office. Maybe if this state wasn't on the brink, these ridiculous bills wouldn't bother me but this is a joke by a joke senator.

Where does this go? Do we give "rights" to cats and dogs, but not pigs and cows. How about the bats in my barn that I can't shoot anymore because they eat mosquitos? Who will stand up for the mosquitos? Is being raised for slaughter "abuse"?

As much as I am a sucker for the "hang dog look" of a hound, I have to realize the differences. Whales "live in the ocean", they do not "share our planet". Apparently they can communicate with each other, but there is no cetacean Shakespeare. Dolphins are cute and intelligent, but they haven't even invented the wheel and are a long way from IED's. They have no concept of "a philosophy".

Still, I would not stand aside and watch a dog being beaten. I might participate in "flying lessons" for cats.

"Dogs look up to us, cats look down on us, pigs treat us as equals" - W. Churchill

"The attorney general shall maintain a central registry of animal abusers"

Unbelievable. I was hoping it was a joke.

"for the duration of the fifteen (15) year period in which the animal abuser is required to be registered."

Does anyone know how long the period for expungement of criminal record (for humans committing crimes against HUMANS, that is!) currently is in Rhode Island?

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

boston.cbslocal.com/2012/03/09/acton-refuses-to-let-woman-put-up-lost-dog-signs/