AN ACT Relating to animals; amending RCW 9.08.070; adding a new section to chapter 16.52 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 16.52 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Any person who uses domestic dogs or cats as bait, prey, or targets for the purpose of training dogs or other animals to track, fight, or hunt, in such a fashion as to torture, torment, deprive of necessary sustenance, cruelly beat, or mutilate such animals, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(2) Any person who violates the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, and whose actions result in the death of the animal, shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

(3) If a person violates this section, law enforcement authorities shall seize and hold the animals being trained. Such animals shall be disposed of by the court pursuant to the provisions of RCW 16.52.200(3).

Sec. 2. Section 1, chapter 114, Laws of 1982 as amended by section 2, chapter 359, Laws of 1989 and RCW 9.08.070 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Any person who, with intent to deprive or defraud the owner thereof, does any of the following shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor and shall be punished as prescribed under RCW 9A.20.021(2) and by a mandatory fine of not less than five hundred dollars per pet animal except as provided by ((~~(d)~~)) (e) of this subsection:

(a) Takes, leads away, confines, secretes or converts any pet animal, except in cases in which the value of the pet animal exceeds two hundred fifty dollars((;)).

(b) Conceals the identity of any pet animal or its owner by obscuring, altering, or removing from the pet animal any collar, tag, license, tattoo, or other identifying device or mark.

(d) The provisions of this subsection shall apply to any animal that the person knows, or has reason to know, is a domestic dog or cat, regardless of whether it is in the actual physical possession of the owner.

(e) Nothing in this subsection or subsection (2) of this section shall prohibit a person from also being convicted of separate offenses under RCW 9A.56.030, 9A.56.040, or 9A.56.050 for theft or under RCW 9A.56.150, 9A.56.160, or 9A.56.170 for possession of stolen property.

(2) (a) It is unlawful for any person to receive with intent to sell to a research institution in the state of Washington, or sell or otherwise directly transfer to a research institution in the state of Washington, a pet animal that the person knows or has reason to know has been stolen or fraudulently obtained. This subsection does not apply to U.S.D.A. licensed dealers.

(b) The first conviction under (a) of this subsection is a gross misdemeanor and is punishable as prescribed under RCW 9A.20.021(2) and by a mandatory fine of not less than five hundred dollars per pet animal. A second or subsequent conviction under (a) of this subsection is a class C felony and is punishable as prescribed under RCW 9A.20.021 (1)(c) and by a mandatory fine of not less than one thousand dollars per pet animal.

(3) (a) It is unlawful for any person, who knows or has reason to know that a pet animal has been stolen or fraudulently obtained, to sell or otherwise transfer the pet animal to another who the person knows or has reason to know has previously sold a stolen or fraudulently obtained pet animal to a research institution in the state of Washington.

(b) A conviction under (a) of this subsection is a class C felony and shall be punishable as prescribed under RCW 9A.20.021 (1)(c) and by a mandatory fine of not less than one thousand dollars per pet animal.

(4)(a) It is unlawful for a U.S.D.A. licensed dealer to receive with intent to sell, or sell or transfer directly or through a third party, to a research institution in the state of Washington, a pet animal that the dealer knows or has reason to know has been stolen or fraudulently obtained.

(5) The sale, receipt, or transfer of each individual pet animal in violation of subsections (1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section constitutes a separate offense.

(6) The provisions of subsections (1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section shall not apply to the lawful acts of any employee, agent, or director of any humane society, animal control agency, or animal shelter operated by or on behalf of any government agency, operating under law.