Nevada's legislative body is currently looking at a proposed law that would significantly increase the penalties for animal cruelty. Dubbed 'Reba's Law,' this new bill is named in honor of Reba, an English bulldog, whose tragic mistreatment and subsequent death last summer has spurred lawmakers into action. According to KTNV, Assembly Bill 381, if enacted, would increase the potential prison time for acts of animal cruelty from a current maximum of four years to a decade.
The bill comes in the wake of public outrage following the harrowing incident involving Reba, who was found in a state of distress taped inside a plastic tub in high heat conditions. As noted by 8 News Now, the two individuals arrested in connection to Reba's case, Isaac Laushaul Jr. and Markeisha Foster, are set to stand trial on June 16. In response to the case, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson was quoted as saying that the penalty did not fit the crime and called for tougher laws.
Assembly Bill 381, put forth by a bipartisan coalition of Nevada legislators, seeks to overhaul the existing provisions of Nevada's animal cruelty law. The proposed measures include a broader definition of 'torture' or 'cruelty' to encompass not only those who commit the act but also those who knowingly permit such acts by inaction. Furthermore, under this bill, perpetrating or allowing the death of an animal through cruel means would be classed a Category B felony, which carries a much more severe sentence of 1-20 years in prison. The bill also proposes increased fines and potential restitution.
In addition to adjusting legal definitions and penalties, the bill proffers changes to existing practices regarding the handling of abused animals. It advocates for an end to the requirement that courts may order abused animals to be sold at auction, instead suggesting that such animals could be humanely euthanized or maintained under an officer's care, as reported by 8 News Now. Additionally, if an arrested individual does not request a hearing or the animal's owner is not identified within five days, the bill stipulates that the animal should be forfeited to local authorities and then transferred to a shelter.
Assembly Bill 381 has yet to be scheduled for a hearing. Meanwhile, the public eye remains fixed on the Laushaul and Foster case, with the defendants currently being held at the Clark County Detention Center. Locally, ahead of the state legislature's moves, the Las Vegas City Council took its own action by adopting tougher penalties against animal hoarding and abandonment in January.
