Blogging from the Utah Senate Judiciary and Law Enforcement Committee...

Utah has had its share of high-profile animal cruelty cases recently: a horse riddled with bullets near Ivins, a pheasant stomped to death at a football game, a donkey dragged behind a truck. The incidents have fueled heated opposition against Sen. Allen Christensen's take on an anti-animal cruelty bill complaining it will set animal protection back half a century.

But Christensen emotionally complained his proposal and he, personally, had been the victim of "twisted facts and outright lies from the Humane Society."

"I'm not trying to get even with this bill." he said. "I've got animals. I've shed more than a few tears over their problems."

Todd Bingham of the Farm Bureau said, "We don't believe in raising animals to the status of people." Bingham pointed out that when the previous item, a child-rape bill, was before the committee, "not a single media [four TV cameras] was rolling during that. I think that is sad state in our society."

Gene Baierschmidt, director of the Humane Society of Utah, told the committee, "Quite frankly, we believe this is an appalling piece of legislation. It will set Utah's animal cruelty code back 50 years."

Christensen, who fears animal cruelty laws will be used to harass farmers and ranchers, opposed a compromise amendment that would apply cruelty and neglect penalties to livestock if the actions are outside "customary farming practices."

Baierschmidt emphasized the Humane Society is not going after agricultural producers. "I personally ate steak last night. I am not an animal rights person."

(Photo above: Sadie, who was stabbed by a neighbor for barking, kicks back during the discussion of animal cruelty.)