The Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act or PACT would make it a federal crime for a person to intentionally crush, burn, drown, suffocate, impale – or to – “otherwise subject an animal to serious bodily harm.”  The bill, which covers non-human mammals, birds, reptiles or amphibians, with violators facing fines and up to seven years in prison, passed the House unanimously.  The bill would not change any existing state laws.

PACT builds on a 2010 measure that criminalized the creation, and distribution of videos of animal abuse but did not address the acts themselves.

A similar measure has been introduced in the Senate.

That bill was introduced in the House by Representatives Ted Deutch and Vern Buchanan – both of Florida, with Alabama Representatives Bradley Byrne and Martha Roby among the co-sponsors.

(AL.COM/www.al.com)