Ohio animal-cruelty bill passage follows death of alpaca

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

A bill toughening penalties for animal cruelty cleared the Ohio House after the savage beating death of a baby alpaca stirred public outrage.

By a 93-3 vote Thursday, the Democrat-led House approved a bill increasing animal cruelty to a first-degree misdemeanor with a penalty of 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine on a second offense. The measure also requires minors caught torturing or abusing animals to undergo mandatory evaluation. It now heads to the state Senate.

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