2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-07031HB0275
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0275
Treatment of animals.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Byron, Schmid, Singh and
Williams and Senator(s) Barlow, Hutchings,
Landen, Nethercott and Olsen
A BILL
for
1 AN ACT relating to crimes and offenses; amending the
2 offense of felony animal cruelty to address actions where
3 wildlife is reduced to possession; prohibiting the torture
4 of wildlife as specified; specifying penalties; providing
5 for license revocation and suspension and forfeiture of
6 devices and equipment for specified felony animal cruelty
7 convictions; clarifying trapping requirements; removing a
8 reporting requirement; providing definitions; making
9 conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date.
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13. W.S. 6-3-1001(a) by creating new
14 paragraphs (iv) through (vi), 6-3-1005(a)(i), (ii), by
15 creating a new paragraph (iii) and by creating a new 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-07032HB0275
1 subsection (c), 23-3-103(a) and by creating a new
2 subsection (d), 23-3-306 by creating a new subsection (j),
3 23-6-206(a)(intro) and (ii) and 23-6-208 are amended to
4 read:
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8 (a) As used in this article:
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21 (a) A person commits felony cruelty to animals if the
22 person:
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-07033HB02751 (i) Commits cruelty to animals as defined in
2 W.S. 6-3-1002(a)(v) through (ix), that results in the death
3 or required euthanasia of the animal; or
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5 (ii) Knowingly, and with intent to cause death
6 or undue suffering, beats with cruelty, tortures, torments
7 or mutilates an animal; or
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16 (a) Predatory animals and predacious birds may be
17 taken without a license in any manner and at any time
18 except as provided by W.S. 23-2-303(d)
19 and (e), 23-3-112, 23-3-304(b), 23-3-305, 23-3-306(b) and
20 23-3-307,. The department shall report annually to the
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7 (a) The court may, in its discretion, revoke any
8 license issued under this act to any person convicted of a
9 violation of this act , for the
10 remainder of the year in which the conviction occurs, and
11 may suspend the person's privilege to purchase or receive
12 any other license under this act, or to take any wildlife
13 for the following time periods provided in paragraphs (i)
14 through (iii) and shall suspend the person's privilege to
15 purchase or receive any other license under this act for
16 the time period provided in paragraph (iv) of this
17 subsection:
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19 (ii) Up to six (6) years for conviction of a
20 high misdemeanor as provided in W.S. 23-6-202(a)(ii)
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4 Devices and equipment, including any firearm, weapon,
5 ammunition, trap, snare, vessel, motorized vehicle,
6 aircraft, explosive, poisonous substance, electronic device
7 or optical equipment, used in, or in aid of, a violation of
8 W.S. 23-3-102(d) or 23-3-107 may be
9 seized by any law enforcement officer of the state after
10 hearing and upon order issued by the court of original
11 jurisdiction when the value of the devices or equipment is
12 one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or less or by the district
13 court for the county in which the offense was charged when
14 the value of the devices or equipment is more than one
15 thousand dollars ($1,000.00). Any device or equipment
16 seized under this section shall be forfeited to the state
17 in accordance with W.S. 7-2-105, provided the device or
18 equipment is not subject to forfeiture under this section
19 by reason of any unlawful act committed without the
20 knowledge or consent of the owner. A device or equipment
21 seized under this section shall not be forfeited as
22 provided under this section until after the person has been 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-07038HB0275
1 convicted under W.S. 23-3-102(d) or
2 23-3-107 and the time for appeal has expired.
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4. This act is effective July 1, 2025.
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6 (END)