Animal Cruelty in Your State – Misdemeanor or Felony?

[MeSheLL]

Animal Cruelty in Your State – Misdemeanor or Felony?

Every state in the United States and the District of Columbia has a law prohibiting cruelty to animals. These laws do not give animals rights, but do afford some legal protection. The purpose of these laws is to deter violence by humans in any form as well as to protect animals from mistreatment and cruelty by imposing a penalty for those acts. Most of these laws fall under the purpose of morality, meaning the purpose is not to protect the animals, but to keep people on the straight and narrow. Whatever the reason, many more states are recognizing that animal cruelty, neglect and abuse are serious issues. However, several states still consider animal cruelty as a misdemeanor offense.





Here is a list of each state’s status on animal cruelty crimes;

Alabama - Felony
Alaska – Misdemeanor
Arizona – Felony
Arkansas – Misdemeanor
California – Felony
Colorado – Misdemeanor
Connecticut – Felony
Delaware – Felony
Florida – Felony
Georgia – Felony
Hawaii – Misdemeanor
Idaho – Misdemeanor
Illinois – Felony
Indiana – Felony
Iowa – Felony
Kansas – Misdemeanor
Kentucky – Felony
Louisiana – Felony
Maine – Misdemeanor
Maryland – Felony
Massachusetts – Felony
Michigan – Felony
Minnesota – Felony
Mississippi – Misdemeanor
Missouri – Felony
Montana – Felony
Nebraska – Felony
Nevada – Misdemeanor
New Hampshire – Felony
New Jersey – Misdemeanor
New Mexico – Felony
New York – Felony
North Carolina – Felony
North Dakota – Misdemeanor
Ohio – Misdemeanor
Oklahoma – Felony
Oregon – Felony
Pennsylvania – Felony
Rhode Island – Felony
South Carolina – Felony
South Dakota – Misdemeanor
Tennessee – Misdemeanor
Texas – Felony
Utah – Misdemeanor
Vermont – Felony
Virginia – Felony
Washington – Felony
West Virginia – Felony
Wisconsin – Felony
Wyoming – Misdemeanor

If your state views animal cruelty crimes as a misdemeanor, please contact your state’s congressman and officials and urge them to view animal cruelty crimes as a felony. Animal cruelty crimes are very horrific and brutal crimes that are done to innocent and helpless animals who cannot even speak out against the abuse. Please encourage your family, friends and the rest of your community to become more politically involved for the sake of these beautiful animals who are suffering from this painful fate that is animal cruelty. These animals deserve laws and rights that will protect them from anyone who would want to harm them. These animals deserve rights.

Please contact your congressman and other state officials with either of these links:
https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml
or
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/