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Contact: Managing Editor Barbara Richards - brichards@cbs8.com

While this story screams propaganda - CBS 8 appallingly tells the world it is legal for humane societies in Arizona to transfer animals to breeders to be used as food with no reference to the law they seem to be quoting.  According to CBS 8's  irresponsible reporting is it now a free for all for humane societies to also send kittens, puppies and basically any animal to snake breeders as food? 

Not only have Arizona state laws been misrepresented; CBS 8 appears to be promoting animal cruelty by promoting this story they claim to have verified. While there may not be a specific detailed law on live feeding one animal to another; the animal cruelty laws are very clear. 

There have been people arrested in Arizona for feeding puppies (companion animals to snakes) due to the cruelty and suffering involved. The animals from shelters are and were companion animals to be adopted out; so when you claim to verify and reference state laws perhaps you should read them more carefully.

13-2910. Cruelty to animals; an “animal” is defined by law as a mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian.

A. A person commits cruelty to animals if the person does any of the following:
4. Recklessly subjects any animal to cruel mistreatment.
9. Intentionally or knowingly subjects any animal to cruel mistreatment.
14. Intentionally or knowingly subjects a domestic animal to cruel mistreatment.

Further the shelters are paid by municipal contracts to care for animals; cleaning out the shelter while claiming a low or no kill rate and sending those same animals to their death is nothing less than fraud.  Perhaps CBS 8 would better serve the public by writing a news story on fraud in nonprofit shelters.

Justice for 318 opinion on the CBS 8 news story

“We have several issues with this news clip. Who did CBS have interpreted the AZ law for them? Was it a patent lawyer in Utah or an animal rights lawyer in AZ. This makes a huge difference because the law is very unclear. They also have a guy from a herpetological association saying you can get a rodent from a pet shop to feed to a reptile. This is not what happened, these animals were not from a pet shop so this just conflates issues. The ALDF statement is a bit misleading as well because there have been several incidents where people have been charged with animal cruelty for feeding companion animals. This also does not address potential fraud involved in how this all occurred. We feel this is reckless reporting and makes it appear that CBS 8 promotes animal cruelty. 

The editor’s email is: brichards@cbs8.com if you feel compelled to share your thoughts on any of the above points.

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