The proposed bill legally would recognize different levels of animal cruelty and designate incidents as being first, second or third degree abuse. Judges also would have the ability to order psychiatric care for convicted abusers.

Michigan legislators long have been proponents of pushing regulations geared toward eradicating animal cruelty in the state.

In January, lawmakers took aim at improving the living conditions of dogs visiting breeding kennels and passed the puppy protection act. The law outlined tight requirements for large-scale commercial breeding kennels, and demanded owners provide food, water, shelter and exercise for each dog.

These measures, along with larger-scale resident support, have helped limit cruelty incidents and have made Michigan the fourth-best state for animal protection, according to a 2012 Animal Legal Defense Fund report.

But the issue of animal cruelty still is a widespread problem. For East Lansing, this legislation comes in the wake of two recent instances of animal cruelty.

Last spring, Andrew Thompson, a former MSU graduate student, was charged with killing 13 Italian greyhounds. He avoided jail and was sentenced to five years probation.

More recently, College of Veterinary Medicine assistant professor Patricia Schenck was charged with felony neglect of 10 or more animals after 17 dogs and two cats were found in poor condition in her home. Schenck eventually was sentenced to two years of probation but was allowed to keep four of the dogs.

Although these cases are chilling reminders of the problem that exists in Michigan, the newly-proposed legislation has the potential to do something no regulation was able to before.

If passed, Bieda’s bill would force accused animal abusers to take more accountability for their actions and would make it easier for offenders to get the necessary treatment for their psychological disorders.

At a time when the issue of mental health has moved to the forefront of debate, Bieda’s bill could help physicians and psychiatrists determine the best means of treatment for their patients.

Instead of lumping all acts of animal abuse into one generalized definition, the bill would allow for judges to assign punishments that matched the severity of the abusers’ crimes.

This measure also could better determine how much exposure an individual might have with animals in the future. Just as the motives behind the crimes committed by Thompson and Schenck were different, their punishments also should be.

The issue of animal abuse never will fully be eradicated from the state of Michigan, but continued support for this legislation is one way to ensure its victims are able to find justice.