Proposed bill helps rehome abused pets, reduce shelter overcrowding

SALT LAKE CITY — A bill intended to ease overcrowded animal shelters while saving taxpayer money is heading to the Senate floor. The bill, HB461, helps officials more quickly rehome pets involved in animal abuse cases.

The bill would also make convicted animal abusers accountable for the expenses of a seized pet.

According to Rep. Verona Mauga, D-Salt Lake City, abused pets sent to animal shelters must stay there until cases are settled. This can lead to full shelters, and extra expense. HB461 would allow the pets to be fostered or adopted.

Related: Uintah County Animal shelter rising to the challenge: turn Utah into a ‘no-kill’ shelter state

“A lot of times what happens is after months or even years, a lot of the time, those pets are put down. This helps resolve that issue, it also saves tax payer dollars, “Mauga said.

Along with taking up critical shelter space, housing abused pets in shelters costs approximately $7,300 annually according to Mauga.

Mauga said one colleague claimed the bill puts animals above humans.

“One of my colleagues on the house floor, who voted no, said she fears that we are putting pets over people,” she said. “I think there’s room to to care for and to have empathy for pets and also address issues that are really important to this state, like saving tax payer dollars and helping our shelters with their capacity problems.”

The bill now moves to the Utah Senate for a vote.

Tammy Kikuchi is a reporter and anchor for KSL NewsRadio.