Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored legislation led by Senators Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to protect the lives of animals. The Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act outlaws a heinous form of animal maiming and torture known as “crushing.”
“It’s unacceptable that acts of animal cruelty and torture, such as ‘crushing,’ aren’t already punishable by federal law. This needs to change. I’m proud to join this bipartisan effort to protect defenseless animals and bring an end to this barbaric behavior.”
BACKGROUND
Despite taking steps in 2010 to ban the sale of videos depicting animal crushing, Congress failed to make the underlying act of crushing a federal crime. This means that – even when there is overwhelming evidence that animal abuse is taking place – federal law enforcement is unable to protect animals or arrest known abusers. The PACT Act would ensure that individuals found guilty of torturing animals face felony charges, fines, and up to seven years in prison. The PACT Act passed the Senate with unanimous support in 2017, but stalled in the U.S. House of Representatives.