Bill > HB5670

This bill amends West Virginia's animal cruelty statute by providing clearer definitions for "food" and "water," specifying standards for animal shelter construction and maintenance, and outlining detailed requirements for tethering animals, including specific types of restraints, tether lengths, and prohibitions against tethering in extreme weather or if the animal is sick or injured. It also expands the definition of veterinary care to include disease prevention and pest control, increases criminal penalties for violations, mandates animal seizure in cases of likely harm or death, and requires a mandatory minimum jail sentence of six months for a second offense, with exceptions for psychiatric evaluation and anger management programs. Furthermore, individuals convicted of a second animal cruelty offense will be added to a publicly accessible state registry, preventing them from adopting or purchasing animals.

Justice

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=5670&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill