Watch CBS News

Legal Limits To Animal Cruelty

By Amy E. Feldman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - In perhaps the most unfortunate of Groundhog Day incidents, the groundhog being checked for its shadow wriggled out of the hands of New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio, fell to the ground, and later died.

While the death of the animal is unusual and, of course, accidental, the question in these trained animal shows - like the dolphins at Sea World, the elephants at a circus, and so on - is...do they ever fit the legal definition of animal cruelty?

While state laws differ, the fact that humans dress animals in skirts and take pictures isn't abuse per se, as there is no crime of embarrassing an animal to death no matter what your teenager tells you when you make her wear a longer skirt. That said, there are laws on what animals may be kept in captivity so no keeping actual elephants in the room.

And, where training methods to get the elephant, whale, or other animal to jump through a hoop inflicts torture, animal cruelty laws are there to protect the captive.

That said, animal activists who have sued Ringling Brothers and Sea World have lost their cases.

And that said, Mayor DeBlasio will have to work very hard next election to get back the groundhog-American vote.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.