Joyce measure seeks to bolster enforcement of animal cruelty laws

U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) recently introduced a bill that would establish a federal animal cruelty crimes section within the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division to aid in the investigation, enforcement and prosecution of felony animal cruelty crimes.

“As a life-long pet owner who considers our dog Winnie to be a member of our family, I was proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to ensure that there is proper enforcement for crimes against animals,” Rep. Joyce said on Feb. 18. “As a life-long pet owner, I want those who commit crimes of animal cruelty brought to justice and as a former prosecutor, I want to make sure the criminals who commit these crimes can’t escalate to committing violence against other people.” 

Rep. Joyce on Feb. 11 signed on as the lead original cosponsor of the Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act of 2021, H.R. 1016, with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO). H.R. 1016, if approved, also would require that the Department of Justice (DOJ) report annually to Congress on the progress being made on enforcing animal cruelty statutes, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Joyce’s office.

Additionally, H.R. 1016 aims to facilitate stronger enforcement of animal cruelty laws through specialized knowledge and a streamlined process for handling such offenses, the summary states. 

“By creating a dedicated animal cruelty crimes section within the Department of Justice, the ACE Act will improve the federal government’s ability to crack down on animal cruelty crimes and hold perpetrators accountable in a timely, efficient manner,” said Rep. Joyce.

The measure has been referred to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee for consideration.