PHOENIX — Animal cruelty cases are on the rise across Arizona, and the Arizona Humane Society is calling for urgent action. The organization says it responded to 10,000 animal cruelty calls last year alone—an increase of nearly 30% over the past two years.
In response, the Humane Society is backing an updated version of a bill that failed to advance the last legislative session that would strengthen animal protection laws statewide. The proposal received unanimous, bipartisan support in a Senate committee and is currently awaiting another vote in the Arizona Senate before moving on to the House.
The legislation, Senate Bill 1234, was inspired, in part, by a case from September 2023. That’s when 55 disabled dogs were rescued from a Chandler home. Humane Society officials say it took police several weeks to obtain a search warrant, delayed by gaps in current state law.
If passed, the bill would clearly define animal cruelty as failing to provide domesticated animals with necessary food, water, shelter, and medical attention. It also includes other protections aimed at preventing neglect and abuse.
“We’ve responded to too many calls where animals have algae in their water, maggots in their food, and their only shelter is a hole under an abandoned car,” said Tracey Miller, Director of Field Operations for the Arizona Humane Society. “Right now, that’s all legal.”
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is also backing the bill, saying it would make it easier to prosecute animal cruelty cases. Officials emphasize that animal abuse is often linked to domestic violence and child abuse, making this legislation even more critical.
The Arizona Humane Society is now urging supporters to contact state lawmakers. In a recent social media post, the group specifically asked the public to press the Senate president to bring the bill up for a vote.
To read the full legislation, click here.
ABC15 has reported on numerous recent animal cruelty and animal neglect cases.
Earlier this month, a dog was seen being dumped by its owners in the Surprise area. The dog was rescued and the owners have since turned themselves in, police say.
In a separate case this month, a Phoenix woman was arrested after more than a dozen dogs were rescued from unsafe living conditions at a Phoenix home that caught fire Sunday.
Earlier this year, we reported on how a Mesa woman suspected of torturing and killing multiple dogs would not face felony charges due to a lack of physical evidence, prompting backlash from some community members.
