If she were an animal what is being done to her would be against the law.
BTW, animal abuse laws were used to protect a child, Mary Ellen The child-protective laws of the state at that time just didn't cut it. It took applying to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to free this child from her cruel parents.
828.12. Cruelty to animals
(1) A person who unnecessarily overloads, overdrives, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance or shelter, or unnecessarily mutilates, or kills any animal, or causes the same to be done, or carries in or upon any vehicle, or otherwise, any animal in a cruel or inhumane manner, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.
828.13. Confinement of animals without sufficient food, water, or exercise; abandonment of animals
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Abandon" means to forsake an animal entirely or to neglect or refuse to provide or perform the legal obligations for care and support of an animal by its owner.
(b) "Owner" includes any owner, custodian, or other person in charge of an animal.
(2) Whoever:
(a) Impounds or confines any animal in any place and fails to supply the animal during such confinement with a sufficient quantity of good and wholesome food and water,
(b) Keeps any animals in any enclosure without wholesome exercise and change of air, or
(c) Abandons to die any animal that is maimed, sick, infirm, or diseased,
is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or by both imprisonment and a fine.
828.14. Water and food for stock on trains, vessels, etc.
(1) No person or corporation, or agent of either, engaged in transporting livestock on railway trains or on steam or sailing vessels, or otherwise, shall detain such stock for a longer continuous period than 28 hours after the same are so placed without supplying the same with necessary food, water, and attention, or shall permit them to be crowded so as to overlie, crush, wound, or kill each other; and any person or agent as aforesaid violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, and any corporation violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.083.
Posted by Rachel Ann at March 27, 2005 07:13 AMYes - animal's are protected; and, you can put animals down - out of their pain and suffering also. We "do" treat animals better all around. I've seen too many people at the end of life being forced to suffer in one way or another. Laying in discomfort. The only advancements in "science" have been life supporting systems: "feeding tubes" - "oxygen" - "Ventilation", etc. There are no cures - just longer suffering.
Posted by: chrys at March 27, 2005 07:49 PM(b) Keeps any animals in any enclosure without wholesome exercise and change of air,
Hmm. This makes keeping a bird in a cage illegal, I'd think.
Posted by: Tuning Spork at March 27, 2005 11:24 PMHow I feel and think about this whole fiasco is a bit complicated -- as in I haven't figured it out all the way yet.
But of all the posts on the subject here, which are generally well-written and thoughtful, this one's kinda out of place.
Because if the challenge is, essentially, "we don't allow even an animal to live this way," then there are two equally valid answers to the challenge: I can pick on the "this way" or the "live."
--FD
Posted by: FrumDad at March 30, 2005 10:13 PM