FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Two Florida lawmakers introduced a bill to make animal cruelty a federal felony.
All 50 states have laws on the books against animal cruelty, and animal fighting or selling videos of it is already illegal under federal law.
Republican Congressman Vern Buchanan and Democratic Congressman Ted Deutch think their bipartisan Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture Bill (PACT) will close a gap.
Law authorities would be able to prosecute with federal jurisdiction if the animals being tortured cross state lines or cruelty occurs on federal property.
Under the PACT act, crushing, burning, drowning, suffocating, impaling or sexually exploiting animals would be a federal felony.
PACT would also close a loophole that makes abuse punishable only if its seen on video.
Buchanan tweeted “The torture of innocent animals should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
If found guilty of abuse, the convicted could receive up to seven years in prison.
Click to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
