COMING UP IN THE FORECAST, BRITTANY JASON, THANKS. AFTER A DOG TRAINER IN CENTRAL ALABAMA WAS FOUND GUILTY OF ANIMAL CRUELTY YESTERDAY, ONE HUMANE SOCIETY DIRECTOR SAYS ALABAMA RESIDENTS ARE STARTING TO EXPECT MORE WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING ANIMALS. WVTM 13 S LISA CRANE LIVE AND LOCAL AT THE GREATER BIRMINGHAM HUMANE SOCIETY. I KNOW LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING SOME BILLS THIS SESSION PERTAINING TO ANIMAL PROTECTION. LISA. YEAH THAT’S RIGHT. YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO LAWS THAT PROTECT PETS LIKE CARBON HERE, ALABAMA AND MANY SOUTHERN STATES HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN NOT AS AGGRESSIVE AS MOST NORTHERN STATES, MANY OF WHICH HAVE MANDATORY SPAY AND NEUTER LAWS. BUT AFTER WATCHING THAT ANIMAL CRUELTY GUILTY VERDICT IN ALABAMA YESTERDAY, THE DIRECTOR HERE FEELS LIKE CHANGE MAY BE ON THE HORIZON. CUPIDO SEYMORE HAS BEEN TRAINING DOGS FOR 25 YEARS. THURSDAY, HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF ANIMAL CRUELTY AND SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS IN JAIL. THE DIRECTOR OF THE GREATER BIRMINGHAM HUMANE SOCIETY SAYS THAT VERDICT WAS WARRANTED AFTER A FOUR MONTH OLD PUPPY LOST A THIRD OF ITS BODY WEIGHT IN THE THREE WEEKS IT SPENT IN TRAINING WITH SEYMORE AND DIED. BUT SHE BELIEVES MORE SHOULD BE DONE TO PROTECT ANIMALS. I THINK THAT STARTS TO BEG THE QUESTION WHAT? WHETHER OR NOT THERE NEEDS TO MAYBE BE SOME SELF-REGULATION IN THAT INDUSTRY OR OUTSIDE REGULATION, SO THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT CONSTITUTES A TRULY EDUCATED TRAINER THAT KNOWS WHAT THEY’RE DOING. ALABAMA LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING TWO BILLS THIS SESSION THAT WOULD STRENGTHEN ANIMAL PROTECTION LAWS. HOUSE BILL 149 WOULD MAKE CHAINING AN ANIMAL ILLEGAL AND WOULD CLARIFY WHAT CONSTITUTES TETHERING AND ADEQUATE FOOD AND SHELTER. HOUSE BILL 249 MAKES IT A CRIME TO ABANDON AN ANIMAL WITHOUT ACCESS TO FOOD AND WATER. SHE FEELS MORE CONFIDENT THAN EVER. THEY’LL PASS IN A STATE THAT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN RESISTANT TO SUCH LAWS. I JUST FELT LIKE THERE THERE’S A SHIFT OCCURRING. PEOPLE THAT ARE STARTING TO REALIZE THE CODE EXISTS AND WHAT THE CODE SAYS AND WHAT IT MEANS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE PUBLIC’S EXPECTATION THAT WE’RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE LAW AND THAT WE’RE AND IF WE DON’T HAVE THAT LAW, THEN WE’LL PASS ONE. RIGHT NOW, BLACK CORNELIUS SAYS. THESE BILLS REALLY JUST CLARIFY EXISTING LAWS, AND THEY HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MAKE ARRESTS, AND THEY HELP PROSECUTORS GET CONVICTIONS. BUT THEY’RE HOPING, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT IT WILL LET PET OWNERS KNOW WHAT’S EXPECTED OF THE