House votes to increase animal torture to a felony

After days of debate, the House finally voted to make torturing an animal a third-degree felony.

HB61 by Rep. Scott Wyatt, R-Logan, a former county prosecuting attorney, increases the penalty for animal torture from a class A misdemeanor to the lowest felony.

Last week, House members amended the bill, keeping the class A distinction, a move that Wyatt said took "out the heart" of his measure. A number of legislators said they worried that animal rights activists could somehow use the new penalty to harass farmers, ranchers or others who may have a different approach to taking care of an animal.

Rep. Wayne Harper, R-West Jordan, read a long list of third-degree felonies, saying abusing an animal didn't belong in that group.

But Wyatt countered by saying that in Utah it's a third-degree felony to steal a chicken.

And "we need to send a message" to the few people who might be charged as animal torturers "that this is a serious act," said Wyatt.