SB 917

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law provides, subject to exceptions, that every person who overdrives, overloads, drives when overloaded, overworks, tortures, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance, drink, or shelter, cruelly beats, mutilates, or cruelly kills any animal, or causes or procures any animal to be so overdriven, overloaded, driven when overloaded, overworked, tortured, tormented, deprived of necessary sustenance, drink, shelter, or to be cruelly beaten, mutilated, or cruelly killed; and whoever, having the charge or custody of any animal, either as owner or otherwise, subjects any animal to needless suffering, or inflicts unnecessary cruelty upon the animal, or in any manner abuses any animal, or fails to provide the animal with proper food, drink, or shelter or protection from the weather, or who drives, rides, or otherwise uses the animal when unfit for labor, is guilty of a crime punishable as a misdemeanor or as a felony, or alternatively as a misdemeanor or a felony and a fine of not more than $20,000. This bill would revise the punishment for this offense to provide that it is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or in the state prison, or by a fine of not more than $20,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment. The bill would make other technical, nonsubstantive changes. By revising the penalty for an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law proscribes animal abuse, as specified, including the failure to maintain and care for the premises and animals at pet shops. Existing law also generally provides that a pet store shall not sell, offer for sale, trade, or barter any dog or cat that is under 8 weeks of age, but may sell, offer for sale, trade, or barter a dog or cat over 8 weeks of age only if the animal is weaned. This bill would provide, in addition and with specified exceptions, that it shall be a crime, punishable as specified, for any person to willfully sell or give away as part of a commercial transaction, a live animal on any street, highway, public right-of-way, parking lot, carnival, or boardwalk, or to display or offer for sale, or display or offer to give away as part of a commercial transaction, a live animal if the act of selling or giving away the live animal is to occur on any street, highway, public right-of-way, parking lot, carnival, or boardwalk. The bill would provide that a notice describing the charge and the penalty for a violation of this bill may be issued by a peace officer, animal control officer, or humane officer. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate changes to Section 597 of the Penal Code made by AB 109, which has been chaptered but is not operative, to become operative only if AB 109 becomes operative. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.