AN ACT Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes,
further providing for the offense of cruelty to animals.

Citation: H.B. 2208, 191st Gen. Assem. Reg. Sess. (Pa. 2008)

Summary: This pending bill in Pennsylvania seeks to add a provision to the cruelty to animals
statute by making it a third-degree felony for a person subject to a protection abuse order to
“willfully and maliciously kill, maim, disfigure, torture, or poison" any domestic animal or
domestic fowl that is in the care, control or supervision of a person who benefits from an abuse
order.

Statute in Full:
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No. 2208 Session of 2008

INTRODUCED BY CASORIO, COHEN, BENNINGTON, BRENNAN, CONKLIN, DALEY, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GIBBONS,
GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARKINS, KOTIK, MENSCH, MILNE, MYERS, NAILOR, M. O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, READSHAW,
ROAE, SANTONI, K. SMITH, SWANGER, J. WHITE, YOUNGBLOOD AND SIPTROTH, FEBRUARY 1, 2008

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008

AN ACT

Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further
providing for the offense of cruelty to animals.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 5511(a) of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended by
adding a paragraph to read:

§ 5511. Cruelty to animals.

(a) Killing, maiming or poisoning domestic animals or zoo animals, etc.--

(1.1) A person commits a felony of the third degree if he willfully and maliciously kills,
maims, disfigures, tortures or administers poison to or exposes any poisonous substance with
intent to administer such poison or poisonous substance to any domestic animal or domestic fowl
that is in the care, control or supervision of a person or persons who directly benefit from a
protection from abuse order issued under 23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61 (relating to protection from abuse)
and where the person committing the harm against the domestic animal or domestic fowl is subject
to the protection from abuse order.