Bill would make dogfight thefts a felony crime

The bill’s sponsor said she heard recent reports of pets being stolen in her district for the purpose.

  • Associated Press
  • Wednesday, February 20, 2019 4:20pm
  • Northwest

Associated Press

OLYMPIA — A proposal making its way through the Washington state Legislature would make it a felony to steal an animal for use as bait in a dog fight.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reported that the classification would make such a theft, which now is often treated as a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to five years in prison.

The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Gina Mosbrucker, R-Goldendale, said she had heard recent reports of pets being stolen in her district for the purpose.

Mosbrucker said dog fighting itself is already a felony, but the bill would also make it a felony to sell or own equipment for training fighting dogs, and make it a crime to abandon an animal used in dog fighting allow it to die.

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