Animal cruelty bill gets unleashed

After years of trying to convince both its people and legislature that it was time for change, Arkansas is finally poised to become the 46th state in the union to adopt felony penalties for its animal cruelty law.

According to the Arkansas Times, "[t]his time around, it looks like Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has brokered a deal between the once warring animal protection and farm factions. Groups on both sides admit SB77 is not perfect, but it's something they can live with."

And not a moment too soon. As writer Gerard Matthews describes, there is plenty of cruelty waiting to be addressed.