00                      CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 489(JUD)                                                                    
01 "An Act relating to cruelty to animals."                                                                                
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
03    * Section 1.  AS 08.98 is amended by adding a new section to article 3 to read:                                    
04            Sec. 08.98.241.  Duty to report cruelty to animals.  (a)  A person licensed                                
05       under this chapter who has reasonable cause to suspect that an animal has been                                    
06       subjected to cruelty to animals in violation of AS 11.61.140 shall immediately report                             
07       the suspected animal cruelty to the Alaska State Troopers or municipal law                                        
08       enforcement agency.                                                                                               
09            (b)  A person who in good faith makes a report under this section is immune                                  
10       from civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed for making                           
11       the report unless the person making the report is the person who subjected the animal                             
12       to cruelty.                                                                                                       
13    * Sec. 2.  AS 11.61.140(d) is amended to read:                                                                     
14            (d)  Cruelty to animals is a class A misdemeanor.  The court may also                                    
15                 (1)  require a defendant convicted of cruelty to animals to                                         

01       participate in psychological counseling and treatment, at the defendant's expense,                            
02       as the court determines to be appropriate;                                                                    
03                 (2)  prohibit a defendant from owning or possessing an animal for a                                 
04       period of not more than five years.                                                                           
05    * Sec. 3.  AS 11.61.140 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:                                             
06            (e)  Each infliction of severe physical pain or prolonged suffering on an                                    
07       individual animal under (a)(1) of this section, failure to care for an individual animal                          
08       under (a)(2) of this section, or killing of an individual animal under (a)(3) of this                             
09       section is a separate violation of this section.