Vital Stats about HB 3377 What the bill does: The bill makes animal abuse that results in death or permanent injury to the animal a Class B felony rather than a Class A midemeanor as per previous law. The bill creates a new offense, Aggravated Animal Assault in the First Degree, which includes intentional or ritual torture of an animal. Aggrieved Animal Abuse carries a Class C felony charge. First offenders committing Animal Abuse receive a misdemeanor penalty, but second offenders would receive a Class C felony conviction. The bill lets judges intervene early in animal neglect and abuse cases to allow for adoption of the animals. (In Vickie Kittles' case it took 15 months for the judge to release the dogs for medical care and foster care placement.) Why the law is important: Under previous Oregon law, a person who stole your pet committed a felony theft; if that same person clubbed your pet to death in your yard, he/she committed only a misdemeanor. Animal abuse and neglect are serious crimes which deserved serious treatment by the judicial system. Acts of animal cruelty often point to an offender's capacity for later violence against human victims. Recognizing the seriousness of animal crime helps prevent human violence. Animals like the ones in Kittles' case often suffer needlessly because of the lack of provisions made for their care once impounded. What the law does not do: The law does not in any way interfere with current lawful practices related to animals. In other words, the bill does not interfere with animal husbandry, veterinary, hunting or fishing practices. The purpose of the law is not to go after vets who doc a dog's ears or tails; the purpose is not to go after hunters or fishermen. The bill specifically targeted animal crime. Who wrote the bill: The bill was written by Pamela Frasch, a Portland attorney, with advice from Charles Turner, former U.S. Attorney for Oregon. Representative Tim Josie is the Bill's sponsor and staunchest supporter in the Oregon House. What was the history of the Bill: The bill first received a hearing in the Crimes and Corrections Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee. At the conclusion of the hearings, Committee Chairman Veral Tarno chose not to put the Bill on the Committee work schedule, thus temporarily halting the Bill. Sources at the capital in Salem said Tarno --an avid hunter-- dropped the Bill because of his opposition to Measure 18, a citizen's initiative passed in the November election which banned bear and cougar hunting. Many of the animal welfare groups who worked to pass Measure 18 also lobbied on behalf of 3377. Over a week later, however, Tarno put an amended version of 3377 back on the work schedule of the committee, thereby resurrecting the bill. At a work session, the subcommittee unanimously voted to approve the amended version of 3377. The bill then went before the full Judiciary Committee where it was approved. The House voted 55 to 5 to pass 3377. Representatives Eldon Johnson, Denny Jones, Veral Tarno, Liz VanLeeuwen and Jim Welsh were the only representatives to vote against the bill. The Bill passed out of committee in the Oregon Senate, then went to the floor for a vote. The Senate voted 20 to 2 to pass the bill. It was later signed by Governor Kitzhaber