PRINTER'S NO. 2118
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1372
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY ALLOWAY, RESCHENTHALER, DINNIMAN, EICHELBERGER,
TEPLITZ, KILLION, WARD, TARTAGLIONE, FOLMER, SCAVELLO,
ARGALL, BARTOLOTTA, FONTANA, VULAKOVICH, RAFFERTY, YUDICHAK,
BOSCOLA, SCHWANK, CORMAN AND WOZNIAK, SEPTEMBER 29, 2016
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2016
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in riot, disorderly conduct and
related offenses, further providing for the offense of
cruelty to animals.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 5511(c) of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended and the section is amended by
adding a subsection to read:
§ 5511. Cruelty to animals.
* * *
(c) Cruelty to animals.--
(1) A person commits an offense if he [wantonly or
cruelly] knowingly or recklessly illtreats, overloads, beats,
otherwise abuses any animal, or neglects any animal as to
which he has a duty of care, whether belonging to himself or
otherwise, or abandons any animal, or deprives any animal of
necessary sustenance, drink, shelter or veterinary care, or
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
access to clean and sanitary shelter which will protect the
animal against inclement weather and preserve the animal's
body heat and keep [it] the animal dry.
(2) (i) Except as provided in subparagraph (ii), a
person convicted of violating paragraph (1) commits a
summary offense.
(ii) A person convicted for a second or subsequent
time of violating paragraph (1) commits a misdemeanor of
the third degree [if all of the following occurred:
(A) The action or omission for which the person
was convicted for a subsequent time was performed on
a dog or cat.
(B) The dog or cat was seriously injured,
suffered severe physical distress or was placed at
imminent risk of serious physical harm as the result
of the person's action or omission.].
(3) This subsection shall not apply to activity
undertaken in normal agricultural operation.
(c.1) Aggravated cruelty to animals.--
(1) A person commits the offense of aggravated cruelty
to animals if an animal suffers bodily injury, as defined in
18 Pa.C.S. § 2301 (relating to definitions), as a result of
the person knowingly or recklessly:
(i) torturing or abusing an animal;
(ii) neglecting an animal as to which he has a duty
of care; or
(iii) depriving an animal of necessary sustenance,
drink, shelter or veterinary care, or access to clean and
sanitary shelter which will protect the animal against
inclement weather and preserve the animal's body heat and
20160SB1372PN2118 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
keep the animal dry.
(2) (i) Except as provided in subparagraph (ii), a
person convicted of violating paragraph (1) commits a
misdemeanor of the first degree.
(ii) A person convicted of violating paragraph (1)
in a case where the animal suffers serious bodily injury,
as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 2301, or death commits a
felony of the third degree.
(3) This subsection shall not apply to activity
undertaken in normal agricultural operation.
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20160SB1372PN2118 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12