Letter to the Editor: Cruelty ignored

Dear Editor:
The Nov. 29 issue published Meeker ordinance 7 on page 16A, outlining changes to titles 6, 9, and 10 of the Meeker municipal code. The ordinance appears to repeal chapter 9.4 which prohibits animal cruelty and neglect in Meeker. Nowhere else in the Meeker code is animal cruelty and neglect mentioned.
Colorado statute 18-9-202 makes animal cruelty and neglect illegal in Colorado. So maybe it’s redundant to also include it in the Meeker code, and that’s why it was redacted from the Meeker code. Maybe that means that animal cruelty and neglect will be prosecuted under state law, not municipal law.
However, many other parts of the Meeker code are also nothing more than mere verbatim recitations of Colorado law, especially the code chapters relating to alcohol and drugs. So why would Meeker choose to eliminate animal cruelty from the city code, but not remove the many other portions of state law from the code? It’s been my experience that when something does not look quite right, does not sound quite right, and does not smell quite right, then something is usually not quite right.
Perhaps it would be prudent for Meeker voters to check into this and get explanations and reassurances from city and county officials that animal cruelty and neglect will still be vigorously investigated and prosecuted.
Glenn Troester
Auburn, Neb.