Letters of support are being sought for Rep. Carl Gatto's animal cruelty bill. Here's what's going on with that:

There's a hearing scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday in the House Judiciary Committee to discuss the Palmer Republican's animal cruelty bill. His HB138 was introduced last year but tabled. It is now a companion bill to SB214, which was introduced by Rep. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, this year. (Read more on SB214.) Gatto's bill has been revised to be the same as SB214, making the most egregious acts of animal cruelty a felony on the first offense.

Thomas Reiker, legislative aide to Rep Gatto, is trying to get the word out in the animal community. Letters/E-mails of support may be sent to Reiker at thomas.reiker@legis.state.ak.us. If you'd prefer, you can give oral support by calling the teleconference line Friday at 877-763-5073.