Texas Governor Vetoed an Animal Cruelty Bill

Senate Bill No. 474 is intended to clarify existing laws that address animal cruelty, specifically towards dogs. Included are descriptions of what qualifies as “adequate shelter,” where a dog may be restrained, and for how long a dog can be kept in a spot without its owner's supervision. Violating these regulations would theoretically result in a Class-C misdemeanor (which carries up to a $500 fine) for a first violation, and a Class-B misdemeanor (which can net up to $2000 in fines and as much as 180 days in county jail). 

In his official statement objecting to the bill, Abbott reasoned that for Texans to take into consideration “the tailoring of the dog’s collar, the time the dog spends in the bed of a truck, and the ratio of tether-to-dog length” would be “micro-managing and over-criminalization.” His concern for overly legislating dog ownership follows a political pattern of opposing restrictions or overregulation. Abbott has previously stated his conviction to keep Texas the “freedom capital of America.” 

Abbott also said that existing Texas laws already ensure that dogs are sheltered from “true animal cruelty,” implying that the conditions stipulated in the bill do not constitute animal abuse. Although severe animal cruelty is already punishable as a felony or misdemeanor in Texas, animal abuse of the kind described in Bill No. 474 is still an issue. Unfortunately, the harsh winter which Texas recently faced was a prime example of this; scores of dogs had to be rescued from unbearable conditions due to being left outside. 

Shortly after news broke that Abbott had vetoed the bill, his official Twitter account posted a short video of his two dogs (Peaches and Pancake). Some users then accused the governor of attempting to distract from the controversy and requested that he extend the care he shows towards his own dogs to others in Texas by approving the bill. One user commented, “This is a thinly veiled attempt to make it look like you care about dogs. It’s sickening.”