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Sponsor Statement for HB 489
Cruelty to Animals

"An Act relating to cruelty to animals."

It is a well documented that animal abuse is a precursor to child abuse. In fact studies by the American Humane Society and the American Psychiatric Association strongly suggest that if animal cruelty is identified and treated as a juvenile problem, we could avoid a good deal of adult domestic abuse.

House Bill 489 simply allows a prosecutor to charge a person with cruelty to each animal found to be neglected or abused. It also strongly suggests that the courts mandate behavior counseling.

The Bill allows for "duty to report" abuse to authorities and holds a person harmless who in good faith reports animal abuse to the authorities.

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