H. B. 2236
(By Delegate Kiss, By Request)
[Introduced January 25, 1995; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section twenty-seven, article three,
chapter sixty-one of the code of West Virginia, one thousand
nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to dogs.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section twenty-seven, article three, chapter sixty-one
of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred
thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 3. CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY.
§61-3-27. Malicious killing of animals by poison or otherwise;
penalty.
If a person maliciously administers poison to, or exposes
poison with the intent that it should be taken by, any horse,
cow or other animal of another person, or if any person
maliciously maims, kills, or causes the death of any horse, cow or other animal of another person, of the value of one hundred
dollars or more, the person is guilty of a felony, and, upon
conviction, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than
one year nor more than ten years; and, if the horse, cow or other
animal is of less value than one hundred dollars, the person is
guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, shall be confined
in jail not more than three months and fined not more than five
hundred dollars.
Provided, That this section shall not be
construed to include dogs.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to criminalize poisoning
dogs.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken
from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language
that would be added.