Wyoming Bill Would Allow Felony Charge for Repeat Cruelty Offense - National Humane Education Society
Paws Up!
To Wyoming Rep. Dan Zwonitzer (R-Cheyenne) for sponsoring House Bill 193. This bill would allow prosecutors to bring felo
ny charges against animal cruelty offenders who have already been convicted of animal cruelty in Wyoming.
According to a recent news article, the Wyoming Agricultural Committee has approved H.B. 193, which would crack down on repeat animal cruelty offenders. Under current state law in Wyoming, someone who commits an act of animal cruelty again and again may only face misdemeanor charges for their numerous offenses. If this bill is passed into law, an offender who has already been convicted or plead guilty to violating the state’s animal cruelty law could be charged with a felony offense for subsequent animal cruelty crimes.
If passed into law, the bill would also require a violator to surrender his or her own animal in cases of abuse. The law would furthermore allow courts to grant possession of companion animals to parties seeking a domestic violence protection order.
