H.R. 8480 · 119th Congress
Protect our Pets Act
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D
GottheimerSponsor1 cosponsor · 1 R
1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill increases federal criminal penalties for animal crushing. The term animal crushing includes conduct to purposely crush, burn, drown, suffocate, or impale living animals. The bill also establishes a new federal criminal offense for abandoning or endangering domesticated animals.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Apr 23, 2026
Protect our Pets Act
This bill increases federal criminal penalties for animal crushing. The term animal crushing includes conduct to purposely crush, burn, drown, suffocate, or impale living animals. The bill also establishes a new federal criminal offense for abandoning or endangering domesticated animals.
Current law imposes criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to seven years, or both—for animal crushing. Under this bill, an individual who commits an animal crushing offense is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both for a first offense; and a fine, a prison term of up to 15 years, or both for a second or subsequent offense.
Additionally, the bill establishes a new federal criminal offense for knowingly abandoning a domesticated animal or committing an act of violence that endangers a domesticated animal. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both for a first offense; and a fine, a prison term of up to 15 years, or both for a second or subsequent offense. The bill provides exceptions, including for conduct that is (1) the slaughter of animals for food, (2) medical or scientific research, (3) necessary to protect the life or property of a person, or (4) performed as part of euthanizing an animal.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Protect our Pets Act
Latest action (Apr 23, 2026): Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement · Origin: House · Introduced: Apr 23, 2026
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.