MD HB89

Each animal harmed in a violation of Maryland's animal cruelty laws constitutes a separate criminal offense, with each animal deemed an individual victim for sentencing guidelines stacking purposes

Convictions for animal cruelty crimes cannot merge with convictions for other crimes arising from the same act, allowing for multiple separate convictions

Sentences for animal cruelty offenses may run consecutively to or concurrently with sentences for other crimes based on the same underlying conduct

Hunting and fishing activities conducted in compliance with Natural Resources Article Titles 4 and 10 are explicitly exempted from animal cruelty provisions when using humane methods

Effective date: October 1, 2025