FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SENATOR JON KYL CHAMPIONS BILL BANNING ANIMAL CRUELTY VIDEOS
(Washington, DC –December 1, 1999) Legislation targeted at stopping the production and sale of "crush videos" which feature live animals slowly tortured and killed by women in high-heeled shoes has won unanimous approval by the U.S. Senate and is on its way to President Clinton who is expected to sign it into law.
Representative Elton Gallegly (R-CA), who introduced bill HR 1887, became aware of "crush videos" when the Doris Day Animal League brought to his attention the difficulty prosecutors in his home district of Ventura County, CA, were having with attempts to charge "crush video" producers under local and state anti-cruelty laws. Prosecutors had to prove that the acts featured in the videos occurred within one or three-year statute of limitations for misdemeanor and felony animal abuse. Without date-stamps or other specific evidence from the tapes themselves, it was extremely difficult to establish when the videos were made. In addition, the faces of actresses in the videos are rarely shown, making identification nearly impossible.
Animal protection groups applauded the legislation and encouraged legislators to pass the bill. It passed the House on October 19th and the Senate on November 19th , championed by Senator John Kyl (R-AZ).
"It is gratifying that our legislators have acknowledged the serious nature of this offense against animals and has, with dispatch, dealt a serious blow to this abominable industry," stated Holly E. Hazard, Executive Director of the Washington, DC, based Doris Day Animal League.
END