The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard HB 1615 on death or injury to animals, sponsored by Sen. Becker. The bill increases the offense level for certain animal cruelty crimes and amends and creates certain definitions for offenses relating to animals. The bill was amended by consent to remove penalty increases from the bill, define “humane euthanasia” and require euthanasia performed by an animal shelter to be humane euthanasia, to remove the definition of “tethering” from the bill, to remove “strike” from the definition of “abuse”, to replace the term “electrocute an animal” with “destroy an animal by electrocution”, and to remove “immediate” from the definition of “humane euthanasia”.
The following testified in favor of the bill: Tippecanoe County Prosecuting Attorney (also on behalf of the Marion County Prosecuting Attorney and the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council), the Humane Society of the United States- Indiana, Hoosiers Unite for Animal Rights, Indianapolis City/County Council representatives, North Central Indiana Spay and Neuter, Spay/Neuter Services of Indiana, American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and three private citizens. The amended bill passed 8-0.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1615