Texas: Support HB 1046 NOW!
This blog entry is a MUST READ:
The Gestapo Rules in Texas
Under current law, even if a dog owner conclusively proves her or his innocence of animal cruelty charges in a court of law and is fully exonerated, it would be too late to save his or her dogs from confiscation, forced adoption, sterilization and death.
Do you understand that? It means if you are falsely accused of animal cruelty, you STILL don’t get the chance to get your animal(s) back. They are sold, or killed, before you stand trial on the charges against you.
HB 1046 allows owners to appeal the forfeiture of their animals by the court. Currently, there is no trial, only a hearing, with considerable bias against the owner.
A dog owner is given only a few days (if that!) before a hearing to hire an attorney, gather evidence, find witnesses and prepare his or her defense. During this period, the dog owner can expect to be the target of inflammatory news coverage and stigmatization by the community.
At the hearing, the dog owner will face an intimidating array of animal control officers, animal cruelty officers, animal rights activists posing as expert witnesses, and municipal prosecutors.
Not only dog owners are affected — the current law is worded to include all animals. Cats, birds and reptiles. Horses and livestock.
From the actual wording of CHAPTER 821. TREATMENT AND DISPOSITION OF ANIMALS
An owner may not appeal an order:
(1) to give the animal to a nonprofit animal shelter, pound, or society for the protection of animals; or
(2) to humanely destroy the animal.
It goes on to describe the “correct” way to euthanize the animal(s) via gas chamber.
There is no presumption of innocence.
It only takes two people to destroy your life, one to report alleged cruelty to a judge, and that judge to sign the warrant to seize your animals.
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