Hatfield animal cruelty bill headed to governor to be signed into law

INDIANAPOLIS – Legislation authored by Representative Ryan Hatfield (D-Evansville) that will strengthen our animal cruelty laws is headed to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.

House Bill 1615, approved 92-0 in the House today, will update Indiana’s animal cruelty statutes to crack down on people who choose to harm animals.

“The goal of this legislation is to create better protections for Hoosier animals and people,” Hatfield said.  

“FBI Profiler Robert Ressler says, ‘Murderers often start out by killing and torturing animals,’” Hatfield added. “There is a direct link between people who abuse animals and people who abuse other people. When we strengthen animal cruelty crimes to protect animals, we also protect fellow Hoosiers.”

The bill also prohibits an animal control program, animal shelter, or humane society from killing an animal by any means other than humane euthanasia, which is defined in the bill as the use of sodium pentobarbital or a derivative, to be administered in a manner that causes painless loss of consciousness and death.

“This legislation is not everything I would have liked, but it does take significant steps toward sending a clear message that if you choose to abuse animals, you will pay for it,” Hatfield concluded.