RICHMOND, Va. — A bill in the Virginia Senate would increase the penalty for cruelly and unnecessarily beating, maiming, mutilating, or killing of a dog or cat.
The bill, SB1604, was introduced by the Republican Delegate Bill DeSteph, Jr. who represents part of the City of Virginia Beach.
If the legislation is passed by the General Assembly and Gov. Northam signs the bill, it would increase the penalty of cruelty to animals charge from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 6 Felony. Current law requires the dog or cat to die as a result of the torture or inhumane injury or pain before the violation is a Class 6 felony.
The law was also limited to a cat or dog that is a companion animal. The proposed bill would include a felony charge for the killing of any cat or dog.
The bill was unanimously passed by the Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources committee with an amendment. The bill was referred to the Senate's finance on Thursday.
Click below to view the full bill:
In the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years, there were two felony cases of cruelty to animals. One offender was sentenced to one year in jail, while the other was sentenced to over 8 years in prison.
During that same time, there were also 31 cases of torture or mutilation of a companion animal causing death. Of these charges, 25.8 percent received prison time of about 1.8 years, while 45.2 percent were sentenced to serve just over three months in prison. The remaining 29 percent were not sentenced to prison after sentencing because there were no felony convictions for the killing of a dog or cat for its hide, fur or pelt.