I am writing this letter in response to the article in the Picayune Item dated Dec. 3, 2015 about the members of the SPCA wanting stricter laws on animal abuse cases.

The president of the SPCA in Mississippi said she doubts any stricter laws will be passed because Farm Bureau lobbyist organizations are against the new laws, because they feel the SPCA would be going to farms and check how farm animals are being kept. But Maria Diamond said that is not the case or her intentions. She wants stricter laws when they find abuse cases. We have all been made aware of the fact that some killers start by the abuse of innocent animals. I agree with that belief. I feel if they would make stricter laws and charge higher penalties and make a first offense a felony and make the offenders go for mandatory psychological counseling it would make the offender think twice before they do this again. We have to be the voices for these abused animals because they have no voice of their own.

Maria Diamond said she is not against the Farm Bureau and the laws she wants passed would not affect farm animals.

It seems to me if Farm Bureau or farmers have nothing to hide, they should not be opposed to the stricter laws. But since Farm Bureau is a large organization with a lot of money that the new stricter laws will never come to be.

I used to be a member of the Farm Bureau for many years, before Katrina. We had to pay a $20-a-year fee to be a member. They said it was not to maintain our insurance with them, but I was told by an agent from the Bureau if you didn’t pay the $20 a year, your insurance would most likely be cancelled. They said the $20 membership was for a picnic the Bureau threw every year for their members. I never made it to one picnic, but felt to maintain my insurance I had to pay that $20 fee. I know $20 is not a lot of money, but think of the amount of extra money generated for the Bureau because of how large they are.

We trained dogs for over 30 years and saw how abuse affects animals. I found this Indian Cree proverb I want to share with people who may read this article.

“Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish caught will we realize we can’t eat money.”

Also, I am enclosing a quote by Wayne Pacelle: “I feel animals, because they are powerless before us, are a test of our character. We can choose a path of cruelty and harm or kindness and mercy.”

 

Sincerely yours,

Martin DeSalvo

 

P.S. God made animals before humans so that says to me, he loved animals more than humans.