What has happened with our laws?

[tarasbulba]

I find it truly amazing that a person who does something cruel with animals gets a bigger fine and longer jail sentence than someone who kills somone in thier car and the out pouring is huge for animals yet people seem to shrug off it off when another person is killed, Case in point, the guy is going to get something like 5 to 7 years in jail and a huge fine, but a guy who is speed racing through vancouver and kills a single pregnant mother of 3 get's, a years house arrest. Just doesn't make sense, sure I understand that animals do something to us, they win out hearts when thier first born and they are faithful to a fault, but what about people, don't we think the same of them,
I just find that there's more compassion from people when it comes to thier pets over thier own kind, people will give a small donation when it comes to helping others find a cure for something bad but they think nothing of, like a guy on TV once said " yah costs us 20 grand in vet bills" and it was just a run of the mill dog.....blows me away

[Dash5]

I find it truly amazing that a person who does something cruel with animals gets a bigger fine and longer jail sentence than someone who kills somone in thier car and the out pouring is huge for animals yet people seem to shrug off it off when another person is killed, Case in point, the guy is going to get something like 5 to 7 years in jail and a huge fine, but a guy who is speed racing through vancouver and kills a single pregnant mother of 3 get's, a years house arrest. Just doesn't make sense, sure I understand that animals do something to us, they win out hearts when thier first born and they are faithful to a fault, but what about people, don't we think the same of them,
I just find that there's more compassion from people when it comes to thier pets over thier own kind, people will give a small donation when it comes to helping others find a cure for something bad but they think nothing of, like a guy on TV once said " yah costs us 20 grand in vet bills" and it was just a run of the mill dog.....blows me away

I dunno, the more I get to know people (especially here on Castanet!! ), the more I like my dog.

[oneh2obabe]

and it was just a run of the mill dog.....blows me away

There's no such thing as "just a run of the mill dog". Whether it's a Heinz 57 or a purebred, dogs and cats are part of their family and a life-long commitment to most. Not talking about the abusers out there who, in my opinion, should be dealt with as harshly as possible.

[Graphite]

Maybe sentencing goes in sequence of worst punishment now

Worst offense: Stealing money

Medium offense: harming animals

Minimal offense: killing people.

[John500]

What law? We have any?

[Graphite]

There are quite a few laws. Next time you see a bylaw officer, ask about them

[motorhomebabe]

I Love my pets, and am glad to see harsher penalties foe animal abusers. That said I agree with the op .Why, are the penalties so light when it comes to human abuse?

[JayByrd]

While street racing, as the example given, is extremely reckless, there is usually no intent to harm others. Abusing an animal usually involves intent to do harm. I know in the minds of many, causing the death of a person in this way is no different than murder, but that's not a debate I'm trying to start here.

The law views accidents differently than cases where harm was done intentionally. If you accidentally caused the death of your dog, there would likely be no legal ramifications at all.

If you compare apples to apples...murdering a human vs murdering an animal, I think you'll see our courts do indeed value human life over that of an animal.

[5VP]

While street racing, as the example given, is extremely reckless, there is usually no intent to harm others. Abusing an animal usually involves intent to do harm. I know in the minds of many, causing the death of a person in this way is no different than murder, but that's not a debate I'm trying to start here.

Good example of the disconnect we've been led to buy into by the corporate world that, just like your dog, automobiles are our cutesy benign, faithful and reliable friends too.

That street racing is considered to have no intent to harm others, is entirely opposite to the reality that, if you deliberately drive your vehicle in a street race you have made the conscious decision to act in a manner anathema to good driving practices and public safety and have therefore abrogated any claims to "accidentally" harm or kill another living being.

To say there is usually no intent to harm in a street race is like saying "Yes, I pulled the trigger but the bullet came out of the gun before I had time to change my aim away from the victim's location and it should be considered the victims fault for not knowing to get out of the way of my harmless intentions."

[Static]

I'm with Jaybird on this one.

[mexi cali]

I dunno, the more I get to know people (especially here on Castanet!! ), the more I like my dog.

well said. For me, it comes down to animals never, ever ask to be abused but they are. Us humans, on the other hand act in ways that cause (I am not justifying here) some of us to leave our faculties behind and lash out at each other in violent ways.

We who own pets made the conscious decision to get them and we owe them a life full of love which is what they offer us.

I know this will raise the ire of many who read these threads but I do feel more compassion, much more for animals who are injured than I do for people.

We control our environments for the most part but animals, in the case of pets, rely on us for protection, nurturing, companionship and love. They rely on us for a safe environment and we owe it to them to provide it.

Any one who can willfully harm an animal is not worthy.

I personally think that crimes against animals should bring about much heavier fines and jail time than what we have available to us through the law today.

[zensiert]

Maybe sentencing goes in sequence of worst punishment now

Worst offense: Stealing money

Medium offense: harming animals

Minimal offense: killing people.

With the current world population having just breached 7 billion, we could do with a few less humans on the planet. Whether that comes from a mass exodus into space or a particularly virulent and fatal pathogen that has a long incubation period, it doesn't really matter. Space is dangerous enough to chlorinate the shallow end of the gene pool just as well as any pathogen.

[rekabis]

Maybe sentencing goes in sequence of worst punishment now

Worst offense: Stealing money

Medium offense: harming animals

Minimal offense: killing people.

With the current world population having just breached 7 billion, we could do with a few less humans on the planet. Whether that comes from a mass exodus into space or a particularly virulent and fatal pathogen that has a long incubation period, it doesn't really matter. Space is dangerous enough to chlorinate the shallow end of the gene pool just as well as any pathogen.

WAT. ಠ_ಠ

[Static]

I prefer animals to humans

[Fancy]

I prefer animals to humans

Unconditional love. However, animals are thought of as property and the push is on to change that view. As far as vehicular manslaughter - that law should change too.