According to the report, Illinois holds the top spot for the fourth year in a row, while Mississippi showed the most improvement, moving from 50th to 30th. The worst offender? Kentucky. Here are the top 5 and bottom five for 2011:
Top 5:
1. Illinois
2. Maine
3. Michigan
4. Oregon
5. California
Bottom 5:
46. South Dakota
47. Iowa
48. Idaho
49. North Dakota
50. Kentucky
According to ALDF more than half of all states and territories have "experienced a significant improvement in their animal protection laws." In reviewing the results from ALDF’s rankings reports over the past five years, more than half of all states and territories experienced a significant improvement in their animal protection laws, including these that have improved by greater than 50%:
- Alaska: 53%
- Utah: 56%
- Guam: 63%
- Mississippi: 66%
- Puerto Rico: 91%
- Arkansas: 95%
Some of the improvements states have made have included:
- Expanding the range of protections for animals
- Providing stiffer penalties for offenders
- Better standards of care for animals
- Reporting of animal cruelty cases by veterinarians and other professionals
- Mitigation and recovery of the costs associated with the care and rehabilitation of mistreated animals
- Mental health evaluations and counseling for offenders
- Bans on ownership of animals following convictions
- Allowing animals to be included in domestic violence protective orders
You can find out more here and read the full report here.
While it's wonderful that so much progress has been made, it's important to remember that most of these laws protect only companion animals. And, in a society condones and supports institutionalized animal exploitation and cruelty, proving, or even defining "abuse," "neglect," or "cruelty" can be extremely challenging.
ALDF encourages those who want more and stronger animal protection laws to contact their elected officials and advocate for them.
~ Marsha
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