LETTERS

Seeking to take away constitutional protections

Posted

To the Editor:

Imagine the RI State Veterinarian and the RISPCA demanding to enter your home without a search warrant and if you denied them access being fined $350 per day until they obtained a search warrant. The legislation was House Bill No. 5297 introduced in the last General Assembly session that would have taken your fourth amendment rights away.

Opposing the legislation was the Defenders of Animals, Inc., and the

Rhode Island American Civil Liberties Union. The RI ACLU stated, "We do not believe the General Assembly can give the DEM much less a private entity the power to enter people's homes based on a written complaint raising a vague concern about an animal's care or welfare."

Moreover, the legislation was disguised as an attempt to target unlicensed rescuers; however, the wording included "any person who renders a service to any animal."

The 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution was added as part of the Bill of Rights on December 15, 1791. It deals with protecting people from the searching of their homes and private property without properly executed search warrants.

The RI DEM and the RISPCA have no business taking that protection away nor should elected officials ever again consider such a proposal.

Dennis Tabella

Director of Defenders of Animals, Inc.

Warwick

Comments

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  • Justanidiot

    plus, they will rat out drugs, missing mattress tags, undocumented people, anything slightly illegal to the local gestapo. since the patriot became the darling of the elites who use it for personal gain

    Thursday, November 21, 2019 Report this

  • Caliban

    The Patriot Act took away your Fourth Amendment Rights years ago.

    Thursday, November 21, 2019 Report this

  • davebarry109

    Taking away your rights is secondary to the animal rights nuts.

    Tuesday, November 26, 2019 Report this