VermontAct sets animal cruelty offenses and seizure procedures
Starting July 1, 2026, animal cruelty cases would use listed offenses, penalties, forfeiture deadlines, and payment rules for animals seized in cruelty cases.
What it does
Animal cruelty offenses cover more types of sexual conduct, images, court-order violations, and missed humane-officer visits. Sexual conduct involving a minor is treated as aggravated cruelty, with some penalties required.
Owners who challenge an animal seizure must post money to cover care costs, although a court may reduce or waive the payment for financial hardship. Courts also receive deadlines for forfeiture proceedings.
Humane officers, shelters, and rescue groups are protected when they follow forfeiture rules in good faith. State officials must manage the payments and propose lasting amounts and schedules.
Argument forClearer offense rules and required penalties could help courts respond to serious animal abuse, especially cases involving minors.
Argument againstRequired security payments could make it harder for some owners to challenge an animal seizure, even though courts may reduce or waive them for hardship.
More detail
Animal cruelty offenses include additional conduct, and courts may impose listed penalties, with some penalties required. The provisions cover sexual conduct with animals, certain obscene images, violations of animal-related court orders, and refusal to allow required humane-officer visits. Aggravated cruelty includes sexual conduct involving a minor. Some offenses require knowing conduct. The act requires certain sentencing sanctions, but the supplied summary does not identify each mandatory sanction. These provisions take effect July 1, 2026.
Courts must follow deadlines for deciding whether an animal involved in cruelty may be forfeited, and an owner challenging a seizure must post security for care costs. The rules apply to animals seized in cruelty cases and to owners who challenge the seizure. A court may reduce or waive the security payment when the owner shows financial hardship. The payment covers the costs of caring for the seized animal. These provisions take effect July 1, 2026.
Animal welfare officials and organizations receive protection for good-faith actions under the forfeiture rules, while state officials manage security payments and reimbursements. The protection covers humane officers, animal shelters, and rescue organizations. The payment rules cover the Animal Welfare Fund and security payments for livestock and nonlivestock animals. The protection does not cover gross negligence or intentional misconduct. The Division of Animal Welfare must adopt rules for receiving, managing, and distributing security payments. The Director of Animal Welfare must propose security amounts and payment schedules to the General Assembly. The act sets interim security amounts until legislation establishing amounts and payment schedules takes effect. These provisions take effect July 1, 2026, and the interim security amounts apply until the later legislation takes effect.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 29House message: Governor approved bill on June 8, 2026Latest
- May 29Signed by Governor Phil Scott on June 8, 2026Became Law
- May 29Delivered to Governor on June 2, 2026To Governor
- May 22House message: House concurred in Senate proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 20Senate proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- May 20Rules suspended and taken up for immediate consideration as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
- May 20Notice Calendar: Senate Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- May 19Senate Message: Passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 19Rules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Baruth
- May 19Read 3rd time & passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentPassed 2nd Chamber
- May 19New Business/Third ReadingMinor
- May 153rd reading ordered
- May 15Proposal of amendment by Committee on Judiciary, as amended, agreed toMinor
- May 15Proposal of amendment by Committee on Judiciary amended as recommended by Committee on FinanceMinor
- May 15Reported favorably by Senator Watson for Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- May 15Reported favorably by Senator Mattos for Committee on Finance with proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 15Read 2nd time, reported favorably with proposal of amendment by Senator Vyhovsky for Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- May 15Favorable report by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- May 15Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on FinanceMinor
- May 15Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- May 15New Business/Second ReadingMinor
- May 14Favorable report by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- May 14Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on FinanceMinor
- May 14Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- May 14Second ReadingMinor
- May 14Entered on Notice Calendar
- May 12Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Senate Rule 31
- May 12Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on FinanceMinor
- May 12Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- May 12Second ReadingMinor
- May 12Entered on Notice Calendar
- Apr 30Referred to Committee on Finance per Senate Rule 31
- Apr 30Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- Apr 30Second ReadingMinor
- Apr 30Entered on Notice Calendar
- Mar 17Read 1st time & referred to Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- Mar 12Read third time and passedPassed 1st Chamber
- Mar 12Action Calendar: Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 11Third Reading orderedMinor
- Mar 11Report of Committee on Judiciary agreed to
- Mar 11Rep. Feltus of Lyndon recommended for the Committee on Appropriations
- Mar 11Rep. Masland of Thetford recommended for the Committee on Ways and Means
- Mar 11Rep. Rachelson of Burlington reported for the Committee on Judiciary
- Mar 11Read second timeMinor
- Mar 11Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Mar 10Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Feb 19Pending entry on Notice Calendar, referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a)
- Feb 17Referred to Committee on Ways and Means per Rule 35(a)
- Feb 17Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Jan 6Read first time and referred to the Committee on JudiciaryIntroduced
Criminal JusticePublic SafetyEmergency Management