Tennessee lawmakers refused to make abusing farm animals a felony.
News coverage of half-starved horses, seized by humane groups in the mid-state, were behind a proposed law to make it a felony to intentionally abuse a livestock animal.
It’s already a felony to treat a companion animal, like a dog or cat, with such “aggravated cruelty.” One example would be failing to feed the animal until it is at risk of dying.
Leighann McCollum, a lobbyist for the Humane Society of the U.S., says her group will continue to try to pass the bill in Tennessee.
“We’re not deterred at all; we plan on bringing this bill back next year. Had a tremendous amount of support from the public, as well as the agricultural community.”
Nashville Representative Janis Sontany took the bill before the House Agriculture Committee for three straight weeks. At the end, it failed to even get a motion.
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