January 22, 2008

RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia legislators are mulling over a bill that would give cats the same status as dogs, making it a felony to steal or kidnap a feline.

The proposal was made by State Delegate Jennifer McClellan, who will work with the Richmond Society for the Protection of Animals and the Virginia Farm Bureau to work out the details.

During her pitch, McClellan said that it's unfair to say that stealing a dog is worse than a cat. The punishment for stealing a cat is a misdemeanor, while it is a felony to nab a dog.

The bill has been given the nickname “Ernie's Law” after a kitten that was stolen from an area shelter. Two men allegedly walked into the shelter and asked to see the kitten, and walked out with him soon after.

After tracking the men down, the prosecutors decided not to pursue the case because it would only potentially win a misdemeanor charge. What's more, the man charged didn't think the case was important enough to show up to. A felony charge might change that, McClellan said.

There are potential snags to the move, like whether other pets like snakes, rabbits, birds and others should be included. Furthermore, Farm Bureau reps are concerned that their constituents could be charged with a felony if they feed a cat that wandered onto their property and decided to stay.

Once a panel has determined the legitimacy of this plan, it will return to the legislators for a vote. We'll let you know the results as we get them.

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