Buster's Law was signed into law in New York in 1999 in response to the brutal abuse and killing of a dog named Buster. The law made aggravated cruelty to animals a felony offense. It defined aggravated cruelty as intentionally causing serious physical injury or death to an animal with extreme physical pain or in an especially depraved or sadistic manner. At the time, only 17 states had felony animal cruelty laws, but as of 2015, all 50 states had adopted some felony provisions regarding animal cruelty and animal fighting. The passage of Buster's Law helped spur more states to strengthen penalties for animal abuse.

1. Animal LawAnimal Law
CRJS 230CRJS 230
Hudson Valley CommunityHudson Valley Community
CollegeCollege
Valerie A. Lang, J.D., M.L.S.Valerie A. Lang, J.D., M.L.S.

2. The New York Times
February 27, 1999, Saturday, Late Edition - Final
Albany Notes;
A Wave of New Bills Bearing Victims' Names

3. Buster’s LawBuster’s Law
Signed in to law June 28, 1999Signed in to law June 28, 1999

6. Buster, November 30Buster, November 30thth
, 1997, 1997

7. Forms of Cruelty:Forms of Cruelty:
 failing to provide food, water, shelter,failing to provide food, water, shelter,
veterinary care, orveterinary care, or
 animal fightinganimal fighting
 acts such as overworking an animalacts such as overworking an animal
 atrocious, depraved actsatrocious, depraved acts

16. The Unquestionable LinkThe Unquestionable Link
“On Saturday of last week, I made
my first kill.
The victim was a loved one,
my dear dog Sparkle. I will never
forget the howl she made.
It sounded almost human.
We laughed and hit her and hit
her more.”
- from the diary of Luke
Woodham, 16, charged in the
stabbing death of his mother, and
the shooting deaths of two
students and wounding seven
others in Pearl, Mississippi.

17. Felony StatusFelony Status
In general, a felony is an offense forIn general, a felony is an offense for
which a sentence to awhich a sentence to a term ofterm of
imprisonment in excess of one yearimprisonment in excess of one year isis
authorized.authorized.

18. Buster’s LawBuster’s Law
 § 353-a. Aggravated cruelty to animals§ 353-a. Aggravated cruelty to animals
 1. A person is guilty of aggravated cruelty to1. A person is guilty of aggravated cruelty to
animals when, with no justifiable purpose, he oranimals when, with no justifiable purpose, he or
sheshe intentionally killsintentionally kills oror intentionally causesintentionally causes
serious physical injuryserious physical injury to a companion animalto a companion animal
with aggravated cruelty. For purposes of thiswith aggravated cruelty. For purposes of this
section, "aggravated cruelty" shall mean conductsection, "aggravated cruelty" shall mean conduct
which: (i) is intended to cause extreme physicalwhich: (i) is intended to cause extreme physical
pain; or (ii) is done or carried out in an especiallypain; or (ii) is done or carried out in an especially
depraved or sadistic manner.depraved or sadistic manner.

19. "The question is not, Can they"The question is not, Can they
reasonreason? nor, Can they? nor, Can they talktalk? but? but
Can they sufferCan they suffer ."."
-Jeremy Bentham-Jeremy Bentham

20.  At the time of Buster’s tragedy, only 17At the time of Buster’s tragedy, only 17
states had felony cruelty laws.states had felony cruelty laws.
 As of the beginning of 2015, fiftyAs of the beginning of 2015, fifty
states have some felony provisions in theirstates have some felony provisions in their
anti-cruelty and/or animal fighting laws.anti-cruelty and/or animal fighting laws.

21.  The Times Union (Albany, New York)The Times Union (Albany, New York)
 November 9, 2007November 9, 2007 FridayFriday
1 EDITION1 EDITION
`Buster's Law' ex-con indicted in`Buster's Law' ex-con indicted in
sexual assaultsexual assault

22. ““Our lives begin to end theOur lives begin to end the
day we become silent aboutday we become silent about
things that matter.”things that matter.”
Dr. Martin Luther KingDr. Martin Luther King

23. This is dedicated to Buster…This is dedicated to Buster…