To the Editor:

As a Cranston resident for the past 30 years, and as an adoptive owner of 2 beautiful rescue dogs and animal advocate, I’m proud to be represented by Nicholas Mattiello in the General Assembly. 

Representative Mattiello has been serving our district since 2007 and as the Speaker of the House since 2014. He has earned a 78% record on animals and the environment according to votesmart.org.

 As Speaker, just this year, he helped shepherd key animal protections through the House and to the Governor’s desk -passing laws to protect all dogs from being left outside during extreme cold, to prohibit the sale of puppies before they are fully weaned from their mothers at eight weeks old, and to strengthen animal cruelty penalties by requiring a ban on pet ownership for five years for misdemeanor animal cruelty and 15 years for felony animal cruelty. 

 As an attorney, I’ve seen first-hand the need for minimum sentencing guidelines for animal cruelty like those that were signed into law in 2018. Too often animal abusers were otherwise sentenced to low fines or probation, a mere slap on the wrist that insufficient as a deterrent. 

 In short, I care about animals and I vote. On November 6th, I will proudly cast my ballot for Speaker Mattiello.

Stephen M. Hunter 

Cranston