There is an obvious difference between torturing an animal and simple neglect.

If anyone questions what torture looks like, they should seek out the photograph on the front page of Wednesday's Deseret Morning News. It's a chocolate Labrador retriever with deep gouges over his snout, injuries sustained when his owner wired his snout closed to stop his barking. That's torture. So is an accompanying photograph of a pit bull puppy that had its ears chopped off.

It should be fairly easy to distinguish between what is animal neglect and a specific, prolonged attempt to inflict severe pain on an animal. Animal torture should be prosecuted as a felony. A bill winding through the Utah Legislature, HB61, would enable prosecutors to charge animal torturers with a third-degree felony. It's high time these offenses receive the type of attention they deserve.

Animal torture is reprehensible on its face. But it also raises concerns because it can be a precursor to forms of human abuse. Some serial killers have tortured animals and have moved on to human victims. However, most serial killers suffer from a broad spectrum of dysfunction in their lives. Their conduct cannot be solely tied to animal abuse and torture. That said, animal abuse and torture deserves careful attention by authorities and mental health professionals.

HB61, sponsored by Rep. Scott Wyatt, R-Logan, aims to address the very worst forms of animal abuse. In response to concerns raised last year by rural legislators, Wyatt left the definition of torture vague enough that a jury could decide whether, by their community standards, the treatment is abuse or torture. It should appease lawmakers' concerns that activities such as a rodeo could be wrongly construed as animal torture.

Most reasonable people can easily draw the line between careless neglect, such as forgetting to refill the dog's water bowl, and mutilating and/or injuring animals in a prolonged and specific way. There's no excusing this conduct whatsoever.

Give Wyatt credit for recognizing that the sensibilities about rearing and handling rodeo stock may be different in Oakley than in Salt Lake City. Each community will decide for itself if the conduct is torture.

The greater good is giving prosecutors the means to go after people who would torture and maim animals. This would enable the state to hand down appropriate punishments and require offenders to undergo therapy to address behaviors that may escalate if unchecked. Lawmakers should rush to approve HB61.