New legislation in Indiana is aiming to ease the burden of caring for the evidence of illegal animal fighting rings in Indiana, covering expenses for caretakers while the cases wind down through the legal system.

Matching Bond to Costs

Indiana Senate Bill 423 seeks to expand the scope of “reasonable expenses” of bonds set by courts for the animals impounded during busts of illegal animal gambling rings by explicitly stating medical care, quarantine, shelter and food as costs covered by the bond.

The forthcoming legal changes are expected to facilitate the cooperation of gambling regulators with the different groups involved in the process of raiding an illegal animal gambling ring. Animal fights fall within the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC)’s oversight of every activity involving wagers.

And while such fights are illegal, they are not uncommon: over the past seven years, the IGC worked on 50 animal fighting cases, with illegal gambling rings being busted in Hendricks, Owen, Morgan, Montgomery, Wells and other counties, leading to about 2,000 birds and 20 dogs being seized.

According to IGC’s General Counsel, Dennis Mullen, the undercover Gaming Control Unit investigates, substantiates and works with Indiana’s Board of Animal Health, local police departments or sheriff’s offices, and local prosecutors while planning every sting.

“We’ll run down every tip — and it’s a really coordinated effort,” Mullen said, quoted by Indiana Capital Chronicle, explaining that due to the bond not covering the real costs on several occasions, organizations working with the regulator such as the Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) ended up footing the bill.

Euthanasia Requirements Eased

Besides better matching the bond to costs, Senate Bill 423 also eases requirements for euthanasia which, according to regulators, are too limiting and present risks to other animals and humans at the moment.

The current law which specifies timelines during which animals cannot be put down and allows euthanasia only for animals suffering from extreme pain is seen as very limiting, and the amendments brought by the bill will provide an additional level of discretion.

The bill allows euthanasia at any time in cases where an animal is found to present a serious threat to other animals or people by a licensed veterinarian, or if euthanasia is seen as in the animal’s “best interest.”

The new bill will also provide civil immunity to the private professionals that make those decisions, without exonerating them from adhering to ethical standards under veterinary practice legislation and regulation.

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Mount Airy Casino Resort, a property that prides itself on being the first AAA Four-Diamond casino resort in Pennsylvania, has launched a new initiative to help neglected animals. The casino will provide animals in a certain Pennsylvanian shelter with bedding that will ensure they are warm and comfortable.

As announced by Mount Airy, it will donate truckloads of its bed sets from the finest Egyptian cotton to a local animal shelter. These luxurious items, which the shelter would not otherwise have been able to afford, will help local animals feel better and warmer while waiting to be adopted.

The recipient of the casino resort’s charity is Camp Papillon, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. The shelter is currently struggling to keep its rescue dogs warm and comfortable throughout the cold winter months, which is why MGM Resorts’ donation comes at just the right time.

The Items Will Help Animals Feel Comfortable

Felicia Katz, the vice president of Camp Papillon, thanked Mount Airy for its commitment to helping the animals in need. She noted that the towels in particular would be very useful to dry animals after their baths. The comfort that these items will provide, Katz, says will make the animals calmer and more adoptable.

These linens foster relaxation and alleviate some of the stress that animals may experience when confined to a shelter. We know firsthand that calm animals are more adoptable animals.

Felicia Katz, VP, Camp Papillon

Mount Airy’s chief operating officer and general manager, Ben Koff, also commented on the matter. He noted that the casino has always sought to benefit its local community and support its neighbors like they have supported Mount Airy.

Finding a way to reuse these quality linens while helping those in need represents Mount Airy’s dedication to regional nonprofits and our commitment to serving as responsible stewards of the environment.

Ben Koff, COO, Mount Airy Casino

This is not Mount Airy’s first charity initiative. Throughout the years, the casino resort has donated over a million dollars in cash grants, donations and community event sponsorships. Some of the initiatives that the casino has supported include Meals on Wheels and The Salvation Army among others.

The donation to Camp Papillon is not the only time Mount Airy has donated linens and bedding items either. As announced by the casino resort, bedding and linens have also been donated to Gracedale Nursing Home, Lehigh Valley Outreach, Monroe County Homeless Shelter and Metamorphosis Women’s Empowerment Initiative.

At the moment, Mount Airy is also working on another similar initiative that will see it give away hundreds of pieces of luggage, cookware, utensil sets, first aid kits, coffee makers and tote bags to local nonprofits. This initiative is part of its agreement with the Pocono Mountains United Way.

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