Bill > HB5360

This bill amends Michigan's animal cruelty law to strengthen protections for animals and provide more comprehensive guidelines for their care, treatment, and potential seizure. The bill significantly expands definitions of key terms, including adding a definition for "service animals" and clarifying what constitutes adequate care, shelter, and sanitary conditions. It establishes a detailed framework for how animals can be seized by animal control agencies when their owners are suspected of mistreatment, including new provisions for notifying owners, posting security deposits to prevent permanent forfeiture, and holding hearings to determine the animal's disposition. The penalties for animal cruelty are progressively structured based on the number of animals involved and prior convictions, ranging from misdemeanors with up to 93 days in jail and a $1,000 fine for a first offense involving one animal, to felonies with up to 7 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for violations involving 25 or more animals or multiple prior convictions. The bill also allows courts to order psychiatric evaluation, impose restrictions on future animal ownership, and require restitution for the costs of investigating, prosecuting, and caring for seized animals. Importantly, the bill provides explicit protections for service animals and includes provisions for humane euthanasia in cases where an animal is severely injured or poses a public safety threat.

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https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5360