Protecting Livestock Owners

Controversial animal bill at top of agenda
Chad Livengood • News-Leader • December 26, 2008

State Rep. Jim Viebrock plans to resurrect a controversial bill requiring a veterinarian to inspect farm animals suspected of being abused before authorities can impound the animal.

This will be the fourth straight year Viebrock has pursued reforms to the way state and local government authorities can seize animals from an owner when there are allegations of abuse.

Viebrock, R-Republic, said he intends to file the bill for the 2009 legislation session, which begins Jan. 7.

By bringing in an impartial state veterinarian from the Department of Agriculture to inspect an animal, Viebrock's bill aims to curtail abuse of the system by some animal rescue groups that reportedly inject themselves into alleged abuse cases for the chance to sell and profit from the animals. Read More

In instances of alleged abuse of livestock, there needs to be some common sense involved in determining if it’s true. Seizing someone’s livelihood based on nothing more than a “concerned citizen’s” uneducated opinion is definitely something that needs to change. Common sense legislation usually has trouble getting passed into law, but things like this should be a no-brainer.