Colorado Governor Ritter Signs Three Animal Welfare Bills Into Law

April 3, 2008 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed several pieces of legislation into law today, including three animal-welfare bills:

HB 1304 (Solano/Schwartz), Illegal Taking/Possessing of Bald Eagles: This bill increases the penalties for poaching bald eagles in Colorado, with each violation now carrying a fine of $1,000 to $100,000, up to a year in jail, or both.

Colorado Governor Ritter signs House Bill 1304 into law: Sigrid Noll Ueblacker of the Broomfield-based Birds of Prey Foundation, state Rep. Judy Solano (far left), Sen. Gail Schwartz, and an eagle, look on.

Additionally, a fine of 20 license suspension points will be assessed. Colorado currently has 42 breeding pairs of bald eagles. Last year, the federal government de-listed the bald eagle as threatened or endangered for the lower 48 states, leaving penalties for killing, taking or possessing an eagle very low. This law gives the bald eagle the same status in Colorado as the golden eagle, Rocky Mountain goat, desert bighorn sheep, American peregrine falcon, and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.

HB 1200 (Soper/Tochtrop), Computer-Assisted "Remote Hunting": This bill prohibits computer-assisted "remote hunting," which allows a person to use a computer to remotely control, aim and fire a weapon at wildlife while the computer user is off site, even hundreds of miles away. Some private operators offer this type of activity to clients in other states. "Colorado has a long and proud tradition of hunting," Gov. Ritter said. "I believe that if you're going to hunt, you ought to be in the same vicinity as the animal you are hunting. It only seems right."

HB 1042 (McKinley/Brophy), Animal Massage Therapy Exemption: This bill expands treatment options for animals, creating an exemption to the Colorado Veterinary Practice Act for animal massage therapy.

Source: Colorado Governor

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