President Donald Trump is expected to sign a bipartisan bill Monday to officially designate animal cruelty as a federal felony.
The bill, Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, which criminalizes severe treatment and exploitation of animals, passed the Senate by unanimous consent on Nov. 5 after being approved by the House in October and has been presented to the president.
Sen. Pat Toomey, (R-Pa.) — a Senate co-sponsor of the bill with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) — called the bill “a major victory” in the effort to “stop animal cruelty and make our communities safer” earlier this month, according to ABC News.
“Evidence shows that the deranged individuals who harm animals often move on to committing acts of violence against people. It is appropriate that the federal government have strong animal cruelty laws and penalties,” he added. – READ MORE