SB 201
Creating felony offense of cruelty to animals
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Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House of Delegates
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill creates a felony offense for cruelty to animals in West Virginia. It specifically outlines actions considered cruel, such as causing serious injury, failing to provide proper care, abandoning animals, and leaving them unattended in vehicles that could lead to death. Individuals convicted of these offenses could face significant fines and imprisonment, with penalties increasing for repeat offenses. The bill also includes provisions addressing the use of controlled substances on animals and restrictions on animal ownership following a conviction.
Key provisions
- Creates a felony offense for intentionally or knowingly causing serious bodily injury or death to a domestic animal.
- Defines cruelty as failing to provide proper care leading to suffering, abandoning animals, or leaving them unattended in vehicles with a risk of death.
- Establishes felony penalties for intentionally torturing, mutilating, or maliciously killing an animal.
- Prohibits riding unfit animals, baiting or harassing animals for amusement, and cruelly chaining or tethering animals.
- Outlines misdemeanor penalties for various acts of mistreatment, abandonment, and withholding of sustenance or medical care.
- Addresses the forfeiture of an animal upon conviction.
- Imposes restrictions on animal ownership following a conviction, lasting five years for misdemeanors and fifteen years for felonies.
- Specifies definitions of key terms, including ‘animal,’ ‘controlled substance,’ and ‘domestic animal.’
Who is affected
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