Factcheck continued

This story seems to be dragging on, so here are the relevant clippings for 2008 and 2009.

Major points to note:

• The passage of the Animal Welfare Act in 2006 altered the criteria for animal welfare prosecutions (from "causing unnecessary suffering" to "failure to meet welfare needs"). 
• There's a significant time factor which means that a cruelty complaint in any given year is not likely to lead to a conviction until the following one.