Support for animal cruelty law still strong

Rhonda Kamper can look into her dog Henry's one eye and tell you why, or point to a kitten's scalded and broken tail as an example of how Utah's animal-cruelty laws should be strengthened so that people who commit such acts get punishment and help.

Her former husband, Marc Christopher Vincent, baked Henry in an oven for five minutes because, she says, he was jealous of the dog. Before that, the husband used a leaf-blower as a weapon on the small mixed-breed animal and put the dog's eye out.

The kitten's alleged abuser, another man, is due in court today on misdemeanor charges stemming from accusations that he hurt felines to control his girlfriend.

These are the reasons why Kamper is practically on Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr.'s doorstep, tying up his fax machines with reams of petitions and calling his office constantly, urging Utah's top political leader to call lawmakers into a special session.

A proposed law to fulfill Kamper's wish would have been dubbed "Henry's Law," but it failed in the final minutes on the final night of this winter's legislative session. The bill was a victim of time, or as she says, a victim of misunderstanding. But ultimately, the change to Utah's law that would make certain acts of animal cruelty a felony — those deemed to be egregious torture — did not pass.

A recent poll commissioned by the Deseret Morning News indicates lawmakers would be heeding their constituents' wishes if they opened at least one eye to Henry's Law.

Conducted March 7-8, the survey by Dan Jones & Associates questioned 418 Utah residents and found that a large majority — 74 percent — wanted the bill passed. Only 22 percent were opposed. The survey had a margin of error of 5 percent.

Utah is one of nine states in the nation that do not have a felony provision for the torture of certain animals. At its worst, animal cruelty in Utah is a class A misdemeanor, which can mean up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Henry's abuser, Vincent, was convicted, given six months and fined $500. Vincent was released early, about five months into his sentence, and ordered to get counseling.

Supporters of a more substantial law on animal cruelty say the torture of animals is linked to the infliction of harm on people — abuse, rape, assault. The need to control and dominate starts with practice on an animal and later escalates to people, they say.