HB193 Summary

• Increases penalties for cruelty to animals: first conviction is Class A misdemeanor with fine up to $3,000 or jail time up to one year; second conviction is Class D felony with 15-year ban on owning animals and required psychological evaluation and counseling; third or subsequent conviction is Class C felony.

• Changes aggravated cruelty to animals from Class C felony to Class B felony and requires convicted persons to be prohibited from owning animals for 15 years and to undergo psychological evaluation and attend counseling.

• Creates new crime of animal abandonment, defined as leaving an animal at a location without providing continuous minimum care, with abandonment at shelters or clinics not being a defense if no reasonable care arrangements were made.

• Establishes penalties for animal abandonment: first conviction is Class B misdemeanor with 15-year animal ownership ban and required psychological evaluation and counseling; second conviction or if abandonment causes serious injury or death is Class C felony.

• Becomes effective on the first day of the third month following passage and gubernatorial approval.