CHANDLER, Ariz. — After a high-profile animal abuse case shocked the Valley earlier this year, the City of Chandler has adopted new ordinance to expand the definition of animal cruelty and strengthen the city's ability to respond.
More than 50 dogs were removed from a Chandler woman's home, from which she ran an animal rescue. Many of the dogs were found in what the Arizona Humane Society described as "horrific" conditions.
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Under the current ordinance, animals are allowed to be seized if there is evidence of cruelty, but can only be forfeited when the court finds "cruel mistreatment, cruel neglect or abandonment." Critics found that this limited scope meant that animals were often returned to their owners despite abuse.
With the new ordinance, there are more circumstances wherein an animal can be seized, and ensures that all of these cases will be heard before a court to determine if the animal was being abused.
The new rules also made animal hoarding a crime, and defined it as "situations where an owner’s accumulation of a large number of animals has overwhelmed their ability to provide minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, or veterinary care."
Animal abuse cases are initially classified as misdemeanors under this ordinance, but can be escalated to felonies. The new rules take effect in 2024.
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