North Dakota voters support making animal cruelty a felony

(WDAY TV) -- North Dakota voters support making "extreme and malicious" acts of animal cruelty a felony. The from a Humane Society of the U-S poll.

Advocates are planning an initiative campaign to toughen penalties. Right now, the most severe penalty for animal abuse is one year in jail and two thousand dollar fine.

The ballot measure would make cruelty to dogs, cats and horses a potential felony, with a maximum of five years in prison and a five thousand dollar fine.

Katie Pinke with the ND Dept of Agriculture says, "It's really not about high fenced hunting, ultimately in the end it's about impacting animal agriculture. And ultimately ending animal agriculture."

State leaders say livestock owners need to tell their stories for a proactive versus a reactive approach.

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