Protect animals from abuse, neglect

To the editor:

The Des Moines Register recently reported on Iowa's deplorable, second-worst in the nation ranking when it comes to protecting the animals in our lives. This is unacceptable for a citizenry that resides in the 21st century.

On the other hand, Iowa ranks highly when it comes to markers like high school graduation rates. So it's not because we're stupid. It's because our politicians fail to stand up to the powerful special interest groups controlling the purse strings of these representatives. And because Iowa's voters don't demand that these representatives do what's needed to raise our legal standards up out of the moral basement we've allowed ourselves to descend into.

As someone with experience in equine, exotic and special needs animal rescue and rehab, I've seen firsthand what this lapse in humane standards and legislation means in the way of horrific, real-world suffering by animals who are unable to speak for themselves. We in Iowa need our citizens to speak out and our representatives to do the right thing and act to ensure that animals in Iowa are protected from ongoing abuse and neglect.

Chris Schoon

Cedar Rapids