Pennsylvania Act 2000-80 — CRIMES CODE (18 PA.C.S.) - AMEND CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

Act text

CRIMES CODE (18 PA.C.S.) - AMEND CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
                  Act of Oct. 18, 2000, P.L. 605, No. 80              Cl. 18
                             Session of 2000
                               No. 2000-80

     SB 1109

                                  AN ACT

     Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
        Consolidated Statutes, further providing for cruelty to
        animals and for discrimination on account of guide, signal or
        service dog or other aid animal.

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

        Section 1.  Sections 5511(a)(2.1) and 7325 of Title 18 of the
     Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
      § 5511.  Cruelty to animals.
        (a)  Killing, maiming or poisoning domestic animals or zoo
     animals, etc.--
            * * *
            (2.1)  (i)  A person commits a misdemeanor of the
            [second] first degree if he willfully and maliciously:
                    (A)  Kills, maims, mutilates, tortures or
                disfigures any dog or cat, whether belonging to
                himself or otherwise.
                    (B)  Administers poison to or exposes any
                poisonous substance with the intent to administer
                such poison to any dog or cat, whether belonging to
                himself or otherwise.
                (ii)  Any person convicted of violating the
            provisions of this paragraph shall be sentenced to pay a
            fine of not less than $1,000 or to imprisonment for not
            more than two years, or both. The court may also order a
            presentence mental evaluation. A subsequent conviction
            under this paragraph shall be a felony of the third
            degree. This paragraph shall apply to dogs and cats only.
                (iii)  The killing of a dog or cat by the owner of
            that animal is not malicious if it is accomplished in
            accordance with the act of December 22, 1983 (P.L.303,
            No.83), referred to as the Animal Destruction Method
            Authorization Law.
            * * *
      § 7325.  Discrimination on account of guide [dog], signal or
                service dog or other aid animal.
        A person is guilty of a summary offense if he, being the
     proprietor, manager or employee of a theatre, hotel, restaurant
     or other place of public accommodation, entertainment or
     amusement, refuses, withholds or denies any person, who is using
     a guide, signal or service dog[,] or other aid animal that has
     been certified by a recognized authority to assist a person,
     because of the physical disability, blindness or deafness of the
     user, or who is training a guide, signal or support dog or other
     aid animal for or from a recognized authority for such a user,
     the use of or access to any accommodation, advantage, facility
     or privilege of such theatre, hotel, restaurant or other place
     of public entertainment or amusement.
        Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

     APPROVED--The 18th day of October, A. D. 2000.

     THOMAS J. RIDGE