Guess Im going to have to let my dogs eat the feral cats. But I dang sure am going to keep an eye open for the S.O.Bs who are releasing these un wanted pets in the country, video them and turn them in.
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Se.../c590/c590.htm
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 42.09(a), Penal Code, is amended to read
as follows:
(a) A person commits an offense if the person intentionally,
[or] knowingly, or recklessly:
(1) kills in a cruel manner, tortures, or causes
serious bodily injury to an animal;
(2) fails unreasonably to provide necessary food,
water, care, or shelter for an animal in the person's custody;
(3) abandons unreasonably an animal in the person's
custody;
(4) transports or confines an animal in a cruel
manner;
(5) kills or administers poison
to an animal, not owned by the actor, without legal
authority or the owner's effective consent;
(6) trains, conditions, or causes one animal to fight
with another;
(7) uses a live animal as a lure in dog race training
or in dog coursing on a racetrack;
(8) trips a horse;
(9) causes bodily injury to an animal; or
(10) seriously overworks an animal.
SECTION 2. Sections 42.09(c)(2) and (5), Penal Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(2) "Animal" means a nonhuman mammal, bird, or captive
amphibian or reptile
(5) "Necessary food, water, care, or shelter" includes
food, water, care, or shelter provided to the extent required to
maintain the animal in a state of good health.
SECTION 3. Section 42.09(h), Penal Code, is amended to read
as follows:
(h) It is a defense to prosecution for an offense under this section that the conduct engaged in by the actor is a generally accepted and otherwise lawful:
(1) use of an animal if that use occurs solely for the
purpose of:
(A) fishing, hunting, or trapping; or
(B) wildlife control as regulated by state and
federal law;
(2) animal husbandry or farming practice involving
livestock; or
(3) activity to control common household vermin or
rodents.
SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of
this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of
this Act if any element of the offense was committed before that
date.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
New laws in Texas, what do you think.
