(Phoenix, AZ) A senate panel has approved bill that would toughen the penalties for animal abuse. Scottsdale Republican John Kavanaugh is sponsoring Senate Bill 1295.
Under current law, knowingly inflicting unnecessary physical injury to an animal is a class 6 felony, punishable by one year in prison. But judges have the option of sentencing Class 6 felonies as misdemeanors. Senate Bill 1295 would make animal abuse a more serious class 5 felony.