Deborah Hemstad, Minot
As a veterinary technician, I am disturbed that any veterinary group-or any animal lover for that matter would oppose Measure 5. North Dakota is one of only two states in the country that doesn't treat the most malicious and sinister acts of animal cruelty as felonies. It's time that we change that and vote yes on Measure 5, and give our pets immediate protection from the most horrific forms of abuse.
Measure 5 will bring immediate protection for our dogs, cats and horses who are most frequently the victims of the most egregious animal cruelty. As a veterinary technician, I know that animals that are crushed, beaten, burned or impaled suffer tremendously during those attacks, and rarely survive them. The veterinarians I work with want to be able to tell the owner of a pet who suffers from the type of attack covered in Measure 5 that the person responsible for this crime will be punished adequately. They can't do that now, but we all can change that on Election Day.
Measure 5 in no way will diminish or negate any law that is already in effect to protect our pets. It will enhance those laws.
Those who have the tendency to viciously harm animals very likely will have the same tendency to harm a human being. Voting yes on Measure 5 will protect our pets as well as the public.
It's disturbing to me that anyone is opposed to this common sense measure. It's time North Dakota laws reflect North Dakota values. We love our pets. Vote yes on Measure 5-it's what any animal lover would do.