A San Luis Prosecutor’s fight for animals
An effort to hold people accountable for harming animals - 13 On Your Side's Arlette Yousif reports
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA/KECY) - A prosecutor found himself between a rock and a hard place when he was faced with charging someone with animal cruelty only to find that there was no suitable charge.
A San Luis Prosecutor says he is fighting for animals, voiceless victims of abuse because somebody needs to speak up for them.
Jose de la Vara says he was faced with charging a suspect with animal cruelty in September of last year after he allegedly hit a dog’s head repeatedly.
However, when it came down to charging him, there was nothing on the books qualifying him under animal cruelty because there was no severe harm or visible injury on the animal.
“It was very frustrating for me because I saw the video of this person viciously hitting his dog. And he was hitting the dog who he had chained to a fence,” says San Luis Prosecutor Jose de la Vara.
Prosecutor de la Vara was forced to drop the charges.
“He had to have injured the dog. There was no injury to the dog. He, the officer said the dog seemed fine to him when he looked at the dog and the owner said ‘yea, the dog’s fine,’” explains de la Vara.
Which is why he has submitted Ordinance 425 to the City of San Luis for approval. If accepted, the ordinance would amend Title 6 of the San Luis City Code to include imposing penalties on anyone who commits animal abuse.
Prosecutor de la Vara is one of many who say animals are innocent.
“I think animals should be protected. They are more like family if we treat them right. I think the abuse should stop,” says San Luis local Diana Reyes.
Currently, Title 6 only has conditions regarding animal control, dangerous dogs, and personal dog kennels.
The City of San Luis is expected to make a decision on Ordinance 425 at the upcoming work-session meeting Wednesday night. Meetings are open to the public. Anyone with concerns about this or any topic within San Luis can contact the city on their website.
