Vermont Fills the Gaps With New Division of Animal Welfare - National Humane Education Society
August 30th, 2024
Paws Up! To Vermont for Creating the Division of Animal Welfare
The summer of 2024 has been a time of great progress for animal advocates in Vermont! Governor Phil Scott has ratified Act 167, a law to establish the Division of Animal Welfare within the state’s Department of Public Safety. This new division will be tasked with creating comprehensive plans to respond to animal cruelty cases and introduce legal standards for Vermont organizations that care for rescued animals.
The passing of this legislation follows vocal public support on broadcast news, with local citizens criticizing the state’s previously fragmented animal welfare legal system. Vermont is a rural state where law enforcement resources can be slim. Due to this lack of civic organization, the state has witnessed some tragic stories of innocent animals who did not receive help in time, such as the heartbreaking case of a horse that passed from neglect found in this local report. Act 167 places the responsibility of investigating incidents of animal cruelty firmly in the hands of animal control officers, who will receive animal cruelty response training and be supervised by the state’s new Director of Animal Welfare. It is the hope of legislators that this new Division of Animal Welfare will greatly improve efficiency and see better outcomes for these innocent animals.
Despite the enthusiasm for Act 167, the concrete actions the Division of Animal Welfare will take to protect animals across Vermont are yet to be determined by its future director. Their approach to animal cruelty protocols, standards of care, funding, and new housing for seized animals will largely determine the futures of the most vulnerable among the animal population. Fortunately, the new law includes an eight-month timeline for these proposals. We at The National Humane Education Society will eagerly await these proposals and continue to advocate that each and every animal deserves safety, happiness, and comfort.
Take Action: Contact Governor Phil Scott to Thank Him for Signing Act 167!
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