Animal rights in Oklahoma

Today I had a story in the paper about a report released yesterday by the Humane Society of the United States. The report grades states’ animal protection laws. Oklahoma ranked in the middle of the pack – tied for 27th with Georgia. Some of the info was really interesting, but I couldn’t cover it all in one story. So I thought I’d share the results here, too.

The report graded states in 65 categories. States earned one point per category. Oklahoma scored 26 points. Here’s the breakdown.

Points Oklahoma earned for things we do

• Felony penalty for cockfighting
• Felony penalty for a first offense of cockfighting
• Prohibits attending cockfights
• Prohibits possessing birds for fighting
• Felony penalties for possessing birds for fighting
• Felony penalties for dogfighting
• Felony penalties for possessing dogs for fighting
• Prohibits attending dogfights
• Felony penalty for egregious acts of cruelty
• Felony penalty for first offense of egregious acts of cruelty
• Allows courts to include protections for pets in domestic violence orders
• Requires person charged with animal cruelty to post a bond to cover the costs of caring for the animals
• Prohibits hound hunting of bears
• Prohibits the trade in bear parts
• Prohibits cougar hunting
• Prohibits shooting animals remotely via the Internet
• Regulates nuisance wildlife control operators
• Requires animals to be spayed or neutered before being adopted from shelters
• Grants shelters direct access to drugs needed for humane euthanasia
• Allows the creation of pet trusts
• Includes protections for downed animals too sick or injured to walk
• Requires licensing of puppy mills
• Requires inspections of puppy mills
• Includes basic humane standards for dogs at puppy mills
• Prohibits the slaughter of horses for human consumption
• Prohibits horse tripping or roping the legs of a galloping horse

Points Oklahoma missed out on for things we don’t do

• Felony penalties for attending cockfights
• Felony penalties for attending dogfights
• Prohibits hog dog fighting
• Requires person charged with animal fighting to post a bond to cover the costs of caring for the animals
• Counseling required for animal cruelty offenders
• Places limits on the inhumane chaining of dogs
• Prohibits bear hunting
• Prohibits hunting bears over bait
• Prohibits hound hunting of cougars
• Prohibits mourning dove hunting
• Includes a partial or full ban on politics | crime | Carrie Coppernoll | blog | Red Dirt Ruckus | -->
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