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United States

Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007

Statute Details
Printable Version
Citation: H.R. 137 (signed into law 05/03/2007)

Last Checked by Web Center Staff: 10/07

Summary: The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007 was signed into law on May 3, 2007. The law upgrades current penalties by creating felony-level jail time (up to 3 years) for violations of the federal animal fighting law, and it also prohibits interstate and foreign commerce of cockfighting weapons (e.g., knife, gaff, etc.).

Statute in Full:
Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate)

--H.R.137--

H.R.137

One Hundred Tenth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday,

the fourth day of January, two thousand and seven

An Act

To amend title 18, United States Code, to strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. ENFORCEMENT OF ANIMAL FIGHTING PROHIBITIONS.

(a) In General- Chapter 3 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

-`Sec. 49. Enforcement of animal fighting prohibitions

`Whoever violates subsection (a), (b), (c), or (e) of section 26 of the Animal Welfare Act shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 3 years, or both, for each violation.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of contents for such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 48 the following:

`49. Enforcement of animal fighting prohibitions.'.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT.

Section 26 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2156) is amended--

(1) in subsection (c), by striking `interstate instrumentality' and inserting `instrumentality of interstate commerce for commercial speech';

(2) in subsection (d), by striking `such subsections' and inserting `such subsection';

(3) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:

`(e) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly sell, buy, transport, or deliver in interstate or foreign commerce a knife, a gaff, or any other sharp instrument attached, or designed or intended to be attached, to the leg of a bird for use in an animal fighting venture.';

(4) in subsection (g)--

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking `or animals, such as waterfowl, bird, raccoon, or fox hunting'; and

(B) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:

`(3) the term `instrumentality of interstate commerce' means any written, wire, radio, television or other form of communication in, or using a facility of, interstate commerce;'; and

(5) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(i) The criminal penalties for violations of subsection (a), (b), (c), or (e) are provided in section 49 of title 18, United States Code.'.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.

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