11-Yr-Old Girl Saves Baby Bird From Cat, Mom Gets $535 Fine

[AzureRaven]

Not exactly a bad law, just a horrible interpretation.
Though after this, it could probably stand a little revision. Not sure in what way...but SERIOUSLY.

On a brighter note, it lead me to look up a few ridiculous laws for where I live which I found pretty amusing:
It?s illegal to throw bales of hay from a second-story window within the city limits.
It?s illegal to take a lion to the movies.
It is a violation of city code to sell chicks or ducklings to a minor within 1 week of the Easter holiday.

Not necessarily BAD laws, but a little bizarre. o-O

 

[Hagi]

I wouldn't be too quick on dismissing the law.

I'd say it's better to be legally allowed to give fines for stuff that doesn't deserve them and then rescinding them then it is for it to be illegal to give fines for stuff that does deserve them with no option open.

This is only a single instance where the law came into action and the fine was, rightfully rescinded. Unless you know all the other cases where this law was relevant and they were equally stupid you don't know whether or not this is actually a good law.

It's impossible to extrapolate singular occurrences:

 

[teqrevisited]

A moment of madness, but good to see that common sense prevailed in the end.

 

[Frost27]

As someone who grew up in Virginia and escaped about 10 years ago, I can definitely say I am completely unsurprised.

This is a state that enacted a law which automatically added $1000 to all speeding tickets issued to state residents, regardless of the degree of the offense. Fortunately the law was finally ruled unconstitutional and struck down but the fact the legislature and governor signed off on it shows what kind of people you're dealing with.

What I wonder is, who called the cops in the first place, the bird? Why would that ever even cross your mind after saving a baby bird?

 

[Spy_Guy]

Meh.

In my opinion, a fine was a bit over-the-top.

At the same time, why not just leave the bird? Why deny the cat that happiness?

I know that whenever my cat catches something, I always let her finish playing around with it (she's good at juggling mice). The look of joy on her is remarkably indescribable.
I think it's cruel to take that away from the cat, really.

 

[Frost27]

Sorry, stupid phone double posted somehow.

 

[Richardplex]

Oh come on! Why!? Why!? There needs to be rules for this kind of situation. Murder has self defense, robbery is okay if its your stuff (But not if you sold it, OJ) and I don't know what would justify rape, but I bet there is a law for it. Fucking America, man.

If you gang-rape a female colleague while on company vacation, until not-too-long ago it was legal in America.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

It would have been funny to see the charges read out, "you stand accused of preverting the cause if natural selection"

Good thing they reversed the fine though, an all to rare victory for common sense.

 

[Richardplex]

Oh come on! Why!? Why!? There needs to be rules for this kind of situation. Murder has self defense, robbery is okay if its your stuff (But not if you sold it, OJ) and I don't know what would justify rape, but I bet there is a law for it. Fucking America, man.

If you gang-rape a female colleague while on company vacation, until not-too-long ago it was legal in America.

...What?...Are you kidding, or is that a real thing?

http://civilservicechange.org/?p=75
How I'd wish I was kidding.

 

[otakon17]

Reminds me of a pair of stories I heard about last summer. You know of the neighborhood lemonade stands, right? The little handmade ones run by kids back in the "golden" age of America. Well, the one was being run by a little girl and the Home Owner's decided to slap a $500 fine on the 10 year old because her parents didn't file for a small business license to run in the area. Same thing happened to a boy who was doing it for charity. Yeah, screw the non-profit lemonade. The amount of crap that people do in this country is getting ridiculous. I know Enron was a fair bit of time ago, but people can get away with crap like that with nary a slap on the wrists, while little kids are fined cause they wanted some pocket money and to help others. Makes me sad sometimes. If anyone has more complete information on these stories, please add and correct any mistakes I made. I'm working off of memory.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Well its good they at least decided to take back the ticket. I mean, i can kinda see that on the way of if you touch a bird, the mom has nothing to do iwth it, but if its successfully released back, I dont see whats so bad.

Now that cat on the other hand should be put down under the law. weird that no one said anyting about that but they want to fine the human.

 

[Slick Samurai]

On one hand, I'm all for humanity altering the fate of species through laws. On another, I'm all for humanity altering the fate of species as they see fit which conflicts with the first statement.

I'll go to my third guideline; America is my law, and I will not question it for final judgement.

I have concluded that the fine was just.

 

[Frost27]

I am retracting my reply on the grounds that it is neither constructive, nor does it have a place on these forums.

 

[SillyBear]

Hopefully the family feel the 500 dollars was worth saving a young innocent life. I hope the little girl isn't dissuaded from acts of kindness because of this, what she did here should be rewarded and not enough eleven year old people show this compassion. Let's hope her mother sends her the same message!

 

[Olrod]

And if the Trooper hadn't done anything? He'd have been neglectful of his duty and possibly dismissed. This shit goes all the way up to the top.

That's when they were confronted by a fellow shopper who said she worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

That's when this shit should have stopped. That's when this nosey busybody got the Troopers in trouble. The Troopers are only doing their duty - this woman is being a *expletive usually used for a female dog in heat*.

This is always the way it is at the moment. Some interfering idiot decides to enforce a badly worded law onto someone else, who has no knowledge of it; and is backed up by people who HAVE to carry it out.

Find that woman. Fine her. Then change that damn stupid law. You can't legislate common sense and you shouldn't have to.

This woman should be fined for wasting police time. That's a crime, right?

 

[v3nge]

Rescue. Now illegal in America.

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

I think this is a shining example of Lawful Stupid.

Now this made me laugh. A little judicial discretion needs to come into play in situations similar to this. I realize the fine was rescinded, but still, sometimes the law is blind.