Protecting Our Pets: Courtroom Advocate or Special Prosecutor?

Authors

Tamara Winkler

First Page

245

Document Type

Comment

Abstract

This Comment seeks to evaluate the current legal landscape surrounding animal cruelty laws, with a specific focus on Desmond's Law and O.R.C. § 2931.18. Connecticut's new law has placed a spotlight on an area of the law which has not been given the priority it so desperately needs. Animal cruelty is a type of interpersonal violence that does not occur in isolation, and placing more importance on animal cruelty laws can help prevent violence against humans. First, this Comment will provide a history of animal rights laws around the globe, followed by a detailed discussion of why animal abuse issues deserve more attention in our society than they currently receive. This Comment next provides a detailed analysis, followed by a critical comparison, of both Desmond's Law and O.R.C. § 2931.18. Although both laws can serve as models for other states that wish to strengthen their animal cruelty laws, this Comment argues that Ohio's O.R.C. § 2931.18 is a more effective law for the prosecution of animal abuse cases. This Comment concludes with suggestions on how states can better improve their entire body of animal cruelty laws, with the ultimate goal of preventing violence against both animals and humans alike.

Recommended Citation

Tamara Winkler, Protecting Our Pets: Courtroom Advocate or Special Prosecutor?, 31 St. Thomas L. Rev. 245 (2019).
Available at: https://scholarship.stu.edu/stlr/vol31/iss2/7