| Under current law, cruelty to animals is a Class D crime. |
This bill increases that crime to a Class C crime for a 2nd |
offense or for a first offense for aggravated cruelty to animals, |
which is defined as causing extreme physical pain to or |
maliciously killing or intentionally torturing an animal. The |
bill includes, under the definition of animal cruelty, the act of |
killing or torturing an animal to frighten or intimidate a child |
or forcing a child to injure or kill a domestic animal. The bill |
requires a juvenile convicted of animal cruelty to receive |
psychiatric or psychological counseling. The bill also |
eliminates the section in which a person can lawfully kill that |
person's own dog or cat. The bill also amends the type of |
shelter that must be available for a dog to protect it from |
inclement weather. |