Back in October, Massachusetts state Senator Bruce Tarr helped the PAWS Act (an Act Protecting Animal Welfare and Safety) gain traction on Beacon Hill in the wake of the tragic mistreatment of a Quincy dog known colloquially as Puppy Doe. The measure, Senate Bill 1914, will be considered by the Joint Committee on the Judiciary in a public hearing Thursday afternoon where anyone will be able to attend and testify.
Puppy Doe was an abandoned pooch found in a Quincy park at the end of last August. The condition of her body was simply gruesome and she subsequently passed away from her heinous wounds. She was stabbed in the eye, her tongue was split like a serpent’s and she was subjected to burns, starvation and multiple dislocated joints.
Senator Tarr took it upon himself to help formulate legislation that better caters to the welfare and safety of pets. And It didn’t take long for constituents in the State House to empathize with the Senate Minority Leader’s position and his bill: The PAWS Act now has 75 co-sponsors.
A native of Gloucester, Senator Tarr released the following statement about the bill and Thursday’s public forum:
News that a long awaited public hearing for the PAWS Act has been scheduled is indeed good. Sadly the heinous crimes against Puppy Doe, a dog who was left beaten, battered, and alone in a Quincy Park, is far from the first animal to be cruelly tortured. Multiple examples exist across the Commonwealth, and now is the time for the legislature to act swiftly to take action against those who commit such heinous crimes.
The scheduling of Thursday’s hearing is a call to action for legislators, public officials, organizations, and all who care about animal welfare in our Commonwealth. With limited time remaining in this legislative session we must deliver a united, clear, and compelling message that the legislature needs to act in a bold and decisive way to confront senseless acts of cruelty with strong penalties for abusers and a comprehensive system to prevent abuse and assist animals in distress.
The substantial piece of legislation touches on everything from treatment by pet owners and veterinarians to motor vehicle accidents, fines and penalties. It also calls for the creation of an online database where the names and information of individuals convicted of animal abuse crimes can be stored, as well as creates a nine-member commission to conduct a systematic review of the laws pertaining to animal abuse.
Back in February, Quincy officials OK’d a commemorative bench to be installed in the same park where Puppy Doe was found in remembrance of the innocent, helpless dog. A documentary is also in the works that chronicles Puppy Doe’s medical treatment and aftermath.
The suspect behind the Puppy Doe cruelty, Radoslaw Czerkawski, 32, of Poland, was arrested on larceny charges in an unrelated case. He was “indicted and arraigned in Norfolk Superior Court in December on a dozen counts of animal cruelty,” according to WCVB.
The hearing will take place at at 1:00 p.m. outside of Hearing Room A-2 at the State House. A copy of the bill and a summary is attached for further information.
Section by Section Summary – An Act Protecting Animal Welfare and Safety (PAWS)
