The bill proposes to repeal the existing section 578.012 of Missouri law regarding animal abuse and replace it with a new section that outlines the offense of animal abuse and its associated penalties. Under the new provisions, a person commits animal abuse if they intentionally kill an animal in a manner not permitted by law, cause injury or suffering to an animal, or fail to provide adequate care resulting in substantial harm to the animal. The bill reclassifies the offense of animal abuse from a class A misdemeanor to a class E felony. Additionally, if the defendant has a prior conviction for animal abuse or if the suffering inflicted on the animal involves torture or mutilation while the animal is alive, the offense is elevated to a class D felony. This change aims to strengthen the legal framework surrounding animal protection and increase penalties for offenders.

Statutes affected:
Introduced (6278H.01): 578.012