NEW ALBANY CITY WRAP: Local shelter presses state for stricter animal cruelty rules

Code enforcement ready to remove signs from right-of-ways

By DANIEL SUDDEATH

Theresa Stilger represented the New Albany-Floyd County Animal Shelter in Indianapolis on Tuesday, joining the fight to strengthen state laws for puppy mills and animal cruelty.

Stilger — animal care coordinator for the shelter — addressed a Senate subcommittee, which marked her second time speaking on the issue.

House Bill 1468 was passed 81-14 by the Indiana House and has moved to the Senate. David Hall, director of the New Albany shelter, described the measure as “common sense” legislation.

If passed, the bill would subject all puppy mills to inspection and licensing, as well as strengthen punishment against those convicted of animal cruelty.

“We as a shelter have rescued animals out of puppy mills in the past,” Hall said. “The cruelty part [of the bill] is very, very good. It’s better than what we’ve got.”

Hall said surrounding states have already adopted similar legislation. The passage of the bill would keep people from moving to Indiana to take advantage of weaker laws, he added.

Indiana also could collect on money by requiring the licensing of puppy mills.

“The attorney general will now be able to seek some taxes from some of the businesses that are operating under the guise of something else,” Hall said.

According to a study touted by the U.S. Humane Society, 83 percent of Indiana voters surveyed favor the stiffened puppy mill bill. The survey — administered by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research — showed 90 percent of Hoosiers are in favor of increased penalties for abuse.

Animal owners that leave a pet outdoors during excessive heat or cold without adequate protection from the elements can be charged with neglect as part of the new bill.

Other changes include:

• Making the charge a class D felony for someone who attends an animal fighting contest if they have a prior animal-related conviction.

• Changing the charge from class B to class A misdemeanor for neglect or abandonment of an animal.

• Changing the definition of neglect to include any action that endangers an animal’s health, including restraints or failing to provide reasonable medical care for an animal’s injury.



Code enforcement targeting signs

Signs posted within city-owned right-of-ways will be removed by New Albany Code Enforcement Officer Pamela Badger beginning next week.

Badger said signs located on city property are there illegally and some are even chained to publicly-owned street signs.

“Those will be the first to go,” Badger said. She hopes to spend one to two days a week removing private signs from right-of-ways.

Badger will trash the signs so if someone has theirs taken, they have to beat her to the junkyard if they want them back.

For more information, call Badger at 812-948-5309.



Cleanup slated for Saturday

Residents and members of the S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association are asked to team with city workers for a cleanup beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The city will setup a temporary drop-off site with five dumpsites at a vacant lot located at the corner of Culbertson Avenue and East 15th Street.

Hazardous materials such as paint will not be accepted this year, but Board of Public Works and Safety President Matt Denison anticipates a bigger turnout than last year.

“Hopefully, we can add a few more Dumpsters and collect more,” he said.

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