Bill introduced to make animal cruelty a federal felony
On the heels of the Senate passing a bill that would make malicious animal cruelty a federal felony, the bill is now making its way through the House of Representatives. If it’s signed into law, violators nationwide could get up to seven years in prison.
It’s called the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, or the PACT Act. Surprisingly, malicious animal cruelty isn’t technically a federal offense, despite legislators passing a law that punishes those who produce and sell animal torture videos in 2010.
The new bill expands on the aforementioned law on torture videos and adds provisions to outlaw the “underlying acts themselves,” which are still legal under federal law, according to a news release from Buchanan’s office.
The PACT Act passed the Senate in December and was introduced in the House last week by Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan and Democrat Rep. Ted Deutch, both of Florida.
“The torture of innocent animals is abhorrent and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” Buchanan said. “Protecting animals from cruelty is a top priority for me and I look forward to working with Congressman Deutch on this important issue.”
In Colorado, animal cruelty is a misdemeanor charge with a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison with a $5,000 fine.
In addition to being endorsed by the Humane Society of the United States, the bill has also been supported by the National Sheriffs Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, and other national animal welfare groups.
The bill does provide exceptions for normal veterinary care and hunting.
