ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session
	Senate: JUDE DPA/SE 6-1-0-0 | 3^rd Read: 18-9-0-3 House: APPROP DPA 11-5-2-0

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SB 1198: animal cruelty; felony classification

Sponsor: Senator Payne, LD 27

Caucus & COW

Overview

Increases the criminal penalties and financial liabilities for certain animal cruelty offences against service and working animals.

History

The Criminal Code defines various forms of animal cruelty and interference with service or working animals and classifies these offences according to severity. The statute criminalizes acts such as the intentional, knowing or reckless neglect, mistreatment, injury or killing of animals. It also particularly prohibits actions against service and working animals, such as harming, interfering with or harassing them. Legal consequences range from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 5 felony depending on the nature and severity of the violation. In addition, statute imposes financial liabilities for certain offences that cause harm to service or working animals, making the offender responsible for the costs to replace the animal, for veterinary bills and for lost revenue incurred by the owner (A.R.S. § 13-2910).

Statute defines service animal to mean an animal that has completed a formal training program to assist its owner in one or more daily living tasks; working animal means a horse or dog that is specially trained for law enforcement work (A.R.S. § 13-2910).

Provisions

1. Increases the penalty for intentionally or knowingly killing or seriously harming a service animal from a class 6 felony to a class 5 felony. (Sec. 1)

2. Modifies the financial liability incurred by an offender for certain animal cruelty offences to add that injury of the animal, and not only its death or disability, make the offender liable for the monetary costs of the offence. (Sec. 1)

3. Adds that intentionally or knowingly causing serious harm to a working animal is a class 5 felony and makes such an offender financially liable for the monetary costs of the offence. (Sec. 1)

4. Adds that intentionally or knowingly killing a working animal is a class 4 felony and makes such an offender financially liable for the monetary costs of the offence. (Sec. 1)

5. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1, 2)

Amendments

Committee on Appropriations

1. Makes intentionally or knowingly killing a working animal a class 5 felony.

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5.                   SB 1198

6. Initials NM          Page 0 Caucus & COW

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