By Shawn Mansell
Deseret Morning News
Saturday, February 3, 2007

With a crowded room on hand to witness the proceedings, a bill that would create a felony statute for severe cases of animal abuse made it out of committee Friday — but just barely.

Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, tried to quash the bill with a motion to move on to the next agenda item. The motion failed 4-3. Sen. Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden, and Sen. Dennis Stowell, R-Parowan, voted with Dayton.

It made it out of the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee by the same tally.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake, told the committee that SB190 is the product of careful compromise and fine-tuning. He said that the bill was amended to protect ranchers, rodeos, zoos and hunters.

Traditionally those groups have feared that an animal torture felony could be used to punish them for industry practices.

"I think we really know what the bill is about," Davis said to the committee. "This really describes what animal torture is."

Rhonda Kamper and her dog Henry were present at the committee meeting. Henry was severely abused by Kamper's ex-husband, Marc Vincent. At one point Vincent placed Henry in an oven and cooked the dog for five minutes.

"Marc (Vincent) went out of his way to get Henry out of a locked cage to do this to him," Kamper testified to the committee. "He's a perfect example of why the law needs to be changed in this state."

Midvale Mayor JoAnn Seghini told the committee the law would do more than protect animals. "This is not just about getting people who hurt a pet," she said. "It will help us protect children, spouses and animals by saying this is not acceptable."

Russ Mead from Best Friends Animal Society said a link exists between animal abuse and violence toward people. He said other states have already addressed the issue in their laws. "Utah is really out there by itself in not having a bill like this."

Todd Bingham from the Utah Farm Bureau expressed concern about the bill. He said a lot of farmers and ranchers in the state are nervous about any unintended consequences that could accompany the bill.

Still, Bingham told the Deseret Morning News that he has no plans to lobby against the bill. He said the Farm Bureau will keep a watchful eye on SB190 but won't oppose it.

Christensen, who opposed the bill, said he cared deeply about animals. "Caring for them is great training for raising a family."

But Christensen said he couldn't vote for a law that he perceived as placing animals' rights above those of human beings. "If I abandon my cat or discipline my dog or spur my horse I can actually go to jail, but you can kill an unborn child without even a penalty."

The legislation will now go to the whole Senate for debate. Last year a similar bill made it out of the House but never made it through the Senate Rules Committee.