LRB-3452/3
PJH:med:rs
2011 - 2012 LEGISLATURE
February 20, 2012 - Introduced by Representatives Milroy, Ripp, Wynn, Barca,
Berceau, Bewley, Clark, Doyle, Fields, Grigsby, Hulsey, Jorgensen,
Marklein, Pasch, Petryk, Pope-Roberts, Roys, Seidel, Sinicki, Spanbauer,
Staskunas, Steineke, C. Taylor, Tranel, Van Roy, Zamarripa
and Zepnick,
cosponsored by Senators Jauch, Carpenter, Risser and King. Referred to
Committee on Criminal Justice and Corrections.
AB593,1,3 1An Act to amend 951.13 (intro.), 951.13 (2), 951.15, 951.18 (1) and 951.18 (4) (c);
2and to create 951.18 (4) (d) of the statutes; relating to: crimes against
3animals.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, no one may treat an animal cruelly, fail to provide an animal
for which he or she is responsible with proper food, water, or shelter, or abandon an
animal. Under most circumstances, a person who does any of those things is guilty
of a Class A misdemeanor, except that a person who treats an animal cruelly is guilty
of a Class I felony if the mistreatment is intentional and results in the mutilation,
disfigurement, or death of the animal.
Under this bill, a person who treats an animal cruelly is guilty of a Class I felony
if the mistreatment is intentional and results in the mutilation of, the disfigurement
of, great bodily harm to, or the death of, the animal.
The bill clarifies that a person abandons an animal if the person fails to make
arrangements for the animal's proper care, sustenance, and shelter. The bill clarifies
that a person must provide an animal with adequate food and water, that snow or
ice is not adequate water, and that failure to provide either food or water constitutes
a violation. However, the bill does not impose requirements for providing food and
water to farm animals that exceed normally accepted animal husbandry practices.
Under the bill, a court may order a violator to undergo a psychological
assessment or to participate in anger management or other psychological counseling

or treatment and may bar a violator from owning, possessing, or training any animal
or any particular type or species of animal for up to ten years.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB593, s. 1 1Section 1. 951.13 (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB593,2,8 2951.13 Providing proper food and drink to confined animals. (intro.)
3No person owning or A person who owns or who is responsible for confining or
4impounding any animal may fail to shall supply the animal with a sufficient supply
5of food and water as prescribed in this section. A person who fails to supply the
6animal with a sufficient supply of food or of water violates this section. In the case
7of farm animals, nothing in this section shall be construed as imposing requirements
8or standards more stringent than normally accepted animal husbandry practices.
AB593, s. 2 9Section 2. 951.13 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB593,2,1210 951.13 (2) Water. If potable water is not accessible to the animals at all times,
11it shall be provided daily and in sufficient quantity for the health of the animal. For
12the purposes of this section, snow or ice is not potable water.
AB593, s. 3 13Section 3. 951.15 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB593,2,17 14951.15 Abandoning animals. No person may abandon any animal. In this
15section, "abandon" means to leave an animal previously under the care or possession
16of the person without making reasonable arrangements for the animal's proper care,
17sustenance, and shelter.
AB593, s. 4 18Section 4. 951.18 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB593,3,919 951.18 (1) Any person violating s. 951.02, 951.025, 951.03, 951.04, 951.05,
20951.06, 951.07, 951.09, 951.10, 951.11, 951.13, 951.14 or 951.15 is subject to a
21Class C forfeiture. Any person who violates any of these provisions within 3 years

1after a humane officer issues an abatement order under s. 173.11 prohibiting the
2violation of that provision is subject to a Class A forfeiture. Any person who
3intentionally or negligently violates any of those sections is guilty of a Class A
4misdemeanor. Any person who intentionally violates s. 951.02, resulting in the
5mutilation, of, the disfigurement of, great bodily harm to, or the death of an animal,
6is guilty of a Class I felony. Any person who intentionally violates s. 951.02 or 951.06,
7knowing that the animal that is the victim is used by a law enforcement agency to
8perform agency functions or duties and causing injury to the animal, is guilty of a
9Class I felony.
AB593, s. 5 10Section 5. 951.18 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB593,3,1511 951.18 (4) (c) Except as provided in s. 951.08 (2m), a sentencing court may order
12that the criminal violator may not own, possess or train any animal or type or species
13of animal for a period specified by the court, but not to exceed 5 10 years. In
14computing the time period, time which the person spent in actual confinement
15serving a sentence shall be excluded.
AB593, s. 6 16Section 6. 951.18 (4) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
AB593,3,2017 951.18 (4) (d) A sentencing court may order a person convicted of a
18misdemeanor or a felony under this chapter to undergo a psychological assessment
19and to participate in anger management counseling or treatment or psychological
20counseling or treatment.
AB593,3,2121 (End)
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