[Shryke]

I understand your reluctance to assign felony status to the act of whipping a dog. I am also aware of the serious, almost-permanent nature of a felony conviction. You've got some good points, no doubt. My questions to you were aimed at your apparent conclusion that his guy was falsely accused. I wanted to point out that it is highly possible that he wasn't. Additionally, this guy is the first person convicted of the crime in the county. Is that a fair sample to use when denouncing a law? In all probability, the DA through the book at him because he's a danger to other drivers.

[American_Centurion]

I have no doubts this guy was accused rightly of abuse. However, to my knowledge, conviction under this "cruelty" law is a felony, and there aren't any misdemeanors associated with animal abuse that I know of.

In fact this wasn't the first person charged with this crime, last year a man shot and killed several of his neighbors cats because they kept coming on his property, he was acquitted of the cruelty charge.