Otter signs bill to make torture of a companion animal a felony offense

Gov. Butch Otter has signed HB 524, which mandates a first offense felony penalty for the torture of a companion animal and requires a psychological evaluation of the offender. A recent case involving Patches the Pony, a family pet who was subjected to an unspeakable act of violence and torture by an unknown perpetrator, was the catalyst for the bill’s passage. Patches was stabbed, dragged behind a vehicle for more than a mile, bludgeoned on his face by a blunted object and subjected to genital mutilation.

Lisa Kauffman, Idaho state director for The Humane Society of the United States, issued the following statement:

“It’s been proven that torturing an animal often leads to further crimes against humans and now Idaho will have the tools to hold these criminals accountable for their actions. Chairmen Ken Andrus has worked tirelessly on this issue for the past four years and we should all be thankful for his hard work, as well as that of others who helped get this bill passed. “