Hatfield pushes legislation to increase punishment for animal cruelty

INDIANAPOLIS – State Representative Ryan Hatfield (D-Evansville) is pushing legislation that seeks to increase the punishment for certain animal cruelty crimes.

“In Evansville over the last year we have had several very serious cases of animal cruelty,” Hatfield said. “It is frustrating to the public because too often these crimes do not result in sufficient punishment or criminal conviction.”

That is why he has authored House Bill 1604, which increases the criminal offense if a person commits a crime that deliberately harms an animal.

“This legislation will raise the offense level and penalty for crimes such as interfering with a search and rescue animal by causing it to lose consciousness, striking an animal, tormenting it, or any other actions that leads to the impairment of an animal’s functions or if they result in death,” Hatfield said. “It will increase the penalty from a misdemeanor to a felony and from a level 6 felony to a level 5 felony.”

“It will allow prosecutors the ability to prosecute with more seriousness in these cases,” Hatfield added.

This bill allows the courts to require a person convicted of animal cruelty to receive psychological, behavioral or other counseling as part of their punishment.

“This legislation also focuses on service animals and shows people who hurt police canines, whether the dogs are on or off duty, that they will be punished,” said Hatfield.

It also advocates for other service animals, such as those needed when a person is blind, deaf, physically impaired, or has a medical condition.

It requires the abuser to reimburse the owner of the animal for any veterinary bills and pay them for their loss if the animal is killed.