"Buddy's Law" In Mississippi and why it's so Important

​worldanimalnews.com/wan-talks-to-doll-stanley-of-in-defense-of-animals-about-the-passage-of-buddys-law-in-mississippi/

The origin of Buddy's Law is unfortunately sad. The law was created after a 12 year old boy was found to have strangled his dog with a cord and set fire to it's face, leaving it in anguish as it burned without any relief. The horrifying incident shocked Mississippi citizens, particularly because at that time, children 12 or younger could not face criminal charges or be psychologically evaluated. The same crime would have seen an adult face felony charges that would have seen them incarcerated for up to 3 years. This is where Buddy's Law was first conceived.

Buddy's Law was designed to hold underage accusers accountable. The law would see those under 12 who commit heinous abuse to animals evaluated and rehabilitated under state law. Not only will Buddy's Law protect animals, it will also address the necessity of evaluating children who commit these sorts of violent crimes against animals. 

When you look at animal abuse of this nature, it's evident that there are serious psychological issues that need to be addressed. This is especially true when it's children committing these crimes against animals. There is a direct correlation between animal abuse and violent crimes against humans because violence of that nature naturally progresses. If a child is left without evaluation after committing violence against an animal like this, what's stopping them from continuing the abuse or committing another crime of this nature?

When a child displays this type of aggression and lack of empathy towards another living creature, it's indicative of a much bigger problem. Without evaluation and rehabilitation, a child who commits a violent crime of this nature is almost permitted to continue the cycle of abuse. As they grow older, the abuse towards animals continues and will continue to get more violent as the child grows. Eventually, there's the possibility of that violence evolving in to other crimes like sexual abuse of animals, violence towards women & children, and even violence that leads to death. By ignoring those signs, we're allowing the violence to fester and continue to evolve and we can only blame ourselves for what happens as the child ages and commits more violence.

Buddy's Law is a crucial law that will address the psychological necessities of a child who displays this type of violence. Child or not, there must be accountability in every aspect of our lives, including when a crime of violence is committed. As parents, we discipline our children when they do something wrong in order to help teach them the difference between right and wrong. The law should also reflect that necessity, because addressing violence early on is the only way to prevent escalation. As this story proves, a child is capable of heinous violence much the same as an adult, and without necessary help, the escalation of violence is both predictable and the fault of our laws for being inadequate. 

Buddy's Law is a law that should be adopted throughout the nation. Child or not, violence against animals is a serious crime and should be treated as such. Without rehabilitation, we're setting our children up for a lifetime of violence and we can only blame ourselves.

Learn more about the signing of Buddy's Law below.
​https://www.southernliving.com/travel/mississippi/biloxi-ms

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