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Fast Facts About Anti-Cruelty Laws
  • 50 states and DC have anti-cruelty laws that make intentionally killing a cat a crime.  
  • 46 states and DC have felony penalties for aggravated acts of animal cruelty.  
  • Eight states authorize courts to include animals in protective orders in domestic violence cases.  
  • 28 states authorize mental health evaluations or counseling upon conviction of anti-cruelty charges.

Home / What We Do / Advocate to End the Killing / Anti-Cruelty Law



Intentionally killing a cat is a criminal offense in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, regardless of ownership. Anti-cruelty laws apply to all cats—companion, abandoned, lost, and feral.

Highlights

Anti-Cruelty Laws Protect All Cats
Anti-cruelty laws apply to all cats—companion, abandoned, lost, and feral. Read more »

Animal Abandonment 
Abandoning an animal is considered animal cruelty. Trap-Neuter-Return is not abandonment. Learn more »

Virginia Anti-Cruelty Law 
The Virginia animal cruelty law protects all cats - pet, stray, feral, or otherwise - from cruel or unncessary killing. Read more »

Company Told All Cats Protected 
A pest control company was put on notice that killing cats can result in criminal convictions for animal cruelty. Read more »

Violence Has Many Victims 
Psychiatric and criminological research has established a relationship between cruelty to animals and a host of other violent behaviors. Read more »


Archives Read more »		Related Publications

Who Speaks for the Animals? American Bar Association Law Commitee Newsletter: Read more » 

Related Multimedia

Galveston Cat Cruelty Case
Video and audio from the case. Learn more »

Anti-Cruelty Campaigns

Go to our Action Center to get involved. Learn more »


Related Alley Cat Allies Press Releases

July 15, 2009 • Alley Cat Allies Applauds Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office for Pursuing Cat Killer Case Read more »

June 15, 2009 • Alley Cat Allies Condemns Miami-Dade Cat Killings Read more »

June 5, 2008 • Alley Cat Allies Helps Defeat Alabama Anti-Cat Ordinance Read more »

May 22, 2008 • Alley Cat Allies Calls for Passage of New Jersey Anti-Freeze Bill Read more »

March 14, 2008 • Alley Cat Allies Welcomes Decision by Iowa Town to Repeal "Bounty" on Cats Read more »

March 12, 2008 • Alley Cat Allies Expresses Outrage At Iowa Town's "Bounty" On Outdoor Cats Read more »

November 16, 2007 • Alley Cat Allies Calls for Re-Trial in Galveston Cat-Shooting Case Read more »

October 31, 2007 • Alley Cat Allies Launches Feral Cat Anti-Cruelty Resource Center Read more »