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A new bill signed into law on Tuesday will increase penalties for those convicted of animal cruelty and also will ban sales of animals on roadsides and in parking lots.
On Tuesday Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 917, authored by Senator Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), which prohibits the sale of animals on streets, in parking lots and from other similar public venues, and increases the penalty for animal cruelty by neglect to up to one year of incarceration.
“Current health and safety regulations for animal sales do not apply to roadside sales, which means young animals are being sold that are often mistreated, ill or diseased and there’s no way to track the seller,” Lieu said after the vote. “My law will remove the link between illegal puppy mills and the public by restricting the sale of pet animals on roadsides, parking lots and other outdoor venues.”
In addition, SB 917 will impose more consistent penalties for those convicted of animal cruelty and animal neglect by allowing a maximum sentence of up to one year in county jail for animal neglect and a fine of up to $20,000.
“Animal abuse is generally divided into two main categories: Animal cruelty, and animal neglect,” Lieu said. “Animal cruelty usually refers to a single act of harm on an animal. Animal neglect usually causes suffering that’s more extended or prolonged. Whether an animal is tortured or starved, too often the result is death. Either way, it’s a horrible way to die, and the penalties should be consistent.”
Lieu’s measure is co-sponsored by the State Humane Association of California, the Humane Society of the United States, the American SPCA and the SPCA Los Angeles.
Jennifer Fearing, California senior state director for The Humane Society of the United States praised the governor’s enactment, “With the stroke of a pen, Gov. Brown has significantly improved animal and consumer protection in California. We are grateful for his humane leadership.”
“Allowing puppies, kittens and other pets to be sold with no requirements for basic humane treatment has caused these animals to suffer in unsanitary and crowded cages and to go without food and water, even in extreme heat,” said Jill Buckley, senior director of Government Relations for the ASPCA. “Sen. Lieu's legislation corrects this and recognizes that neglecting an animal’s basic needs is a terrible form of animal abuse which should be taken seriously.”
Buckley added, “Criminal animal cruelty by neglect may be less obvious than the acts of torture that grab headlines, but it is more common and the abuse is more prolonged as the animal slowly suffers. California's laws did not sufficiently protect the animal victims of neglect, but Gov. Brown recognizes that failing to provide for an animal’s basic needs is a terrible form of cruelty which should be taken seriously.”
Lieu’s measure takes effect Jan. 1, 2012.
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The bipartisan letter comes less than two weeks after Gov. Jerry Brown formally appealed FEMA’s decision to deny federal assistance for affected communities.
In their letter, the members of Congress highlighted the significant and costly damages caused by the storm system, which swept through Alameda, Amador, Butte, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Stanislaus, Sutter, Trinity, and Tuolumne counties in March.
Current estimates of the damage now exceed $51 million, causing significant financial strain to the state and impacted local communities.
In total, 30 California Delegation Members who represent communities affected by the March storm system signed on to the bipartisan Congressional Delegation letter, including: Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA), Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA), Rep. Dan Lungren (D-CA), Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA), Rep. David Dreier (R-CA), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), Rep. Brian Bilbray (D-CA), Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA), Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), and Rep. Janice Hahn (D-CA).
A copy of their letter to FEMA and President Obama is available below:
“Dear Mr. President:
“We write to you in strong support of the State of California’s appeal regarding the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) decision to deny a major disaster declaration and provide federal assistance to address the damages sustained from the severe storm system that struck California in March 2011.
“Between March 15 and 27, 2011, a severe storm system struck California bringing heavy rain and snow, high winds and flooding, destroying and damaging property throughout the state. Seventeen counties in our state were hit hard by this storm system including Alameda, Amador, Butte, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Stanislaus, Sutter, Trinity, and Tuolumne.
“We understand that a Stafford Act major disaster declaration for a storm event is limited to (1) a single storm, or (2) a series of storms that are deemed to be part of the same storm system that impact the same geographical areas, such that the impacts from the separate storms are indistinguishable, and are separated by three days or less. According to the National Weather Service and the California Department of Water Resources, the damages sustained were from a single low pressure storm system which set up over the region for two weeks shifting from north to south and back again across the state. This is consistent with the second category for a qualifying storm event. Furthermore, these conditions are similar to other weather-related federal disasters declaration in 1986, 1997, 1998, 2004/2005 and 2010.
“Current estimates of the damage caused by the storm system now exceed $51 million, causing significant financial impacts to the state and the affected local jurisdictions that are beyond their capabilities. Many of us have had the opportunity to view the damage in our communities first-hand, and it is clear that a major disaster declaration is critical to helping our state recover from this devastating storm system.
“Therefore, we strongly support the State of California’s appeal regarding a major disaster declaration and federal disaster assistance related to the March 2011 storm system. We appreciate your consideration of this request, and we stand ready to assist you in expediting support and resources to the impacted communities throughout California.”
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Milo Manley, 58, of Ashland sustained major injuries in the Sunday morning crash, which occurred on Highway 20 near the Lodge at Blue Lakes, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Kory Reynolds.
Reynolds said at approximately 10:05 a.m. Paul Ruggirello, 33, of Plumas Lake was driving his 2004 Chrysler Pacifica westbound on Highway 20 and was slowing to make a left turn into the Lodge at Blue Lakes when he failed to see Manley's 2008 Honda motorcycle.
Ruggirello turned directly into the path of Manley causing his Honda to strike the front of the Chrysler, Reynolds said.
Manley was ejected from the Honda and sustained major injuries, according to Reynolds.
Reynolds said Manley was airlifted by REACH to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for a fractured left leg, left wrist and right ankle.
Ruggirello and his passenger, 31-year-old Autumn Ruggirello, also of Plumas Lake, were not injured in the collision, Reynolds said.
One-way traffic control was in effect at the scene for approximately one hour, Reynolds said.
Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the collision which is still under investigation by Officer Erich Paarsch, according to Reynolds' report.
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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – An 18-year-old Middletown man who was one of six people arrested on July 11 for a string of burglaries committed in the Middletown area is now charged with sex crimes, allegedly committed against a 13-year-girl.
Dorian Jay Decker has been arrested for allegedly annoying or molesting a child under 18 years of age, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Decker was among six suspects – two adults and four juveniles – arrested on July 11 following an extensive investigation led by Deputy Dennis Keithly, the Lake County Sheriff's Office's Middletown community service deputy, into multiple burglaries committed in Middletown, as Lake County News has reported.
Bauman said Monday that approximately one week before the Middletown burglary cases were closed, the family of a 13-year-old Yuba City girl reported that Decker had allegedly molested her while she was visiting Decker’s family in Middletown over this past Memorial Day weekend in May.
The victim and her father were reportedly long-time acquaintances of Decker’s family, Bauman said.
Following further investigation by the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit, a warrant of arrest was secured by detectives on July 19 and Decker was arrested at his home without incident, according to Bauman.
Bauman said Decker was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked on charges of annoying or molesting a child under 18 years of age.
Jail records indicated Decker's bail was set at $10,000. He later posted it and was released.
Anyone with information relating to this case, or any other allegations of similar conduct by Decker is asked to contact Det. Mike Curran at 707-262-4200.
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The quake occurred at 10:41 a.m. Monday, according to the US Geological Survey.
The survey said the quake was centered three miles east southeast of Cotati, five miles north northwest of Petaluma and 10 miles south southeast of Santa Rosa, at a depth of 4.3 miles.
Shortly before 8 p.m. Monday the US Geological Survey had received 829 shake reports from 56 zip codes around California, including as far south as Fresno.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
LUCERNE, Calif. – A woman who shot a man allegedly trying to break into her home early Sunday morning had been terrified for years by someone coming onto her property and stalking her, according to family members.
A suspect in an attempted break-in of a home in 14th Avenue in Lucerne was shot shortly before 2 a.m., as Lake County News has reported.
On Sunday, Marc Harry Halvorsen, 27, of Nice was booked into the Lake County Jail on felony charges of attempted robbery and first-degree attempted burglary, according to jail records. His bail was set at $50,000.
Robert Krentz of Lucerne said his 77-year-old mother was the victim of Halvorsen's alleged attempt to break into her home early Sunday.
Krentz asked that his elderly mother's name not be released yet because of concerns for her safety.
He said she has been the victim of an ongoing case of harassment for years. The person behind that harassment has so far not been positively identified, but Krentz is concerned that it was connected to the Sunday break-in attempt.
Krentz said his mother shot Halvorsen after his third attempt to kick in her sliding glass door. Before she shot she had issued him a warning that she was armed.
He said his mother used a 9 millimeter pistol that she kept for self-protection to shoot the suspect.
Halvorsen later was found trying to limp down 14th Avenue with the gunshot wound to his upper thigh, Krentz said.
Deputy Gavin Wells arrested Halvorsen at 2:14 a.m., according to jail records.
Radio reports indicated that the suspect in the case had been transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for treatment. Halvorsen later was released and booked into the Lake County Jail at 7:21 a.m., jail records showed.
Krentz said his mother is a frail amputee with limited mobility who actually is terrified of guns.
However, for several years she has been the victim of harassment – including having her yard and fencing torn up, and her vehicle tires flattened. Someone even left a rope with a knife in a box at her front door, according to Krentz and his wife, Loretta.
At one point his mother's next door neighbor sat up watching her home at night, sitting guard with a 12-gauge shotgun, Robert Krentz said.
Loretta Krentz said someone has done “numerous things to try to scare her to death,” all of which have been reported to the sheriff's office.
As to why the harassment started more than five years ago, Loretta Krentz said they had no idea.
Finally, it reached the point where the woman – who is terrified of guns, and had herself been shot when she was younger – asked for a gun for self-protection, a request that her son said got his attention. He subsequently got her the 9 millimeter handgun.
Early Sunday she was awakened to an intruder when her dog began barking and making noise, Robert Krentz said.
He said she couldn't hear the suspect at first, but then she heard a crack against the sliding glass door which entered a room where she was sleeping in a chair. The chair was only two and a half feet from the glass door, Krentz said.
Because she has limited mobility, she couldn't move or retreat, and couldn't reach the window to pull back the curtain to look outside. Instead, she took out the handgun and called 911, he said.
When she heard another crack against the door, she gave the suspect a command to stop and told him she was armed and would shoot if he didn't, Krentz said.
The beating on the window continued, and Krentz said when she heard it start to give way, she fired.
Krentz said Halvorsen was still on the home's deck when his mother's neighbor came out and confronted the suspect.
The neighbor's wife had called Central Dispatch early Sunday and reported her husband had fought with the suspect, as Lake County News has reported.
At about the same time a dispatcher who was speaking with Krentz's mother advised Wells that the woman was continuing to fire her weapon.
Jail records indicate Halvorsen is scheduled to appear in Lake County Superior Court for arraignment on Tuesday.
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