Ranching practice being challenged as animal cruelty

A fight between a Southern Arizona rancher and Pima County animal control officials could determine this week whether legislators will create a new exemption from state and local animal cruelty laws. Legislation awaiting a final House vote would provide an exemption from the laws for "any activity involving the possession and training, exhibition or use of a dog in the otherwise lawful pursuit of ranching or farming work activities.' But HB 2780 goes even farther. It spells out that counties, which now are empowered to adopt more stringent standards, also have to take a hands-off approach to ranching. Rep. Peggy Judd, R-Willcox, acknowledged her legislation is aimed squarely at Pima County, which has an ordinance which makes it illegal to tie out a dog under any circumstances. She said one Cochise County resident who ranches in Pima County with his dogs was cited for violating it. "They were out in a remote location and they tied them to keep them out of the way of the stock,' she said. The legislation got the support of several lawmakers with ranching experience like Rep. Chester Crandell, R-Heber. "Picture yourself on a horse riding out 25-30 miles away from anywhere and your dogs are with you pulling cattle out of brush, helping you to corral them,' he said. "Dogs are very exuberant and they want to help,' Crandell said. "Sometimes when you get in a corral with wild cows, that's not the best situation to be in.' He said the best thing is to "simply tie them with a leash to a post or under the shade of a tree or someplace where they can be comfortable out of the way so they're not getting hurt, the cows are not getting stampeded and those who are working the cows are not going to get run over.'...more