Bill proposes changes to animal cruelty laws, including 'whacking' rules and enforcement

GILLETTE — A new bill coming through this year’s legislative session would amend the state’s animal cruelty statute to specify that predatory animals must be killed immediately if they’re intentionally hit using an automotive vehicle.

In addition to tweaking who’s authorized to impose misdemeanor animal cruelty charges and their fines, House Bill 3 would ban keeping an animal alive after it’s been intentionally injured with an “automotive vehicle, motorpropelled wheeled vehicle or vehicle designed for travel over snow.”

“Whacking” refers to a practice where a predatory animal, such as a wolf o...