Men beat and run over pigs but are not charged with animal cruelty

On January 21, two men broke into the Nocona, Texas Future Farmers of America's barn, beat several pigs with a shovel, then ran over them in a truck. Three pigs died and six others suffered injuries.

The two men were arrested and have been charged with criminal mischief and burglary of a building. No animal cruelty charges have been brought because, says the Nocona Chief of Police, swine are not included in the Animal Cruelty Act. The Texas statue also excludes cattle, horses, sheep, and goats.

However, even bearing this outrageous omission in mind, the act could still be prosecuted as a felony under Texas Penal Code Ann. 42.09(a)(1), which states that a "person commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly...tortures an animal." Pigs are not exempted from this statute.

Here are some contacts for you to use to urge Texas lawmakers to amend the Animal Cruelty Act, and also to urge the D.A. and the Chief of Police to charge the two men with a felony.