Animal welfare.

Existing law makes it a crime to inflict unnecessary cruelty or to abuse an animal in any manner, including, but not limited to, maliciously and intentionally maiming, mutilating, torturing, or wounding an animal. This bill would additionally make it a crime to otherwise abuse or subject a living animal to needless suffering. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require that specified handling and husbandry practices widely regarded as routine, including rodeo or rodeo related events, not be presumed to constitute animal mistreatment. The bill would make animal treatment laws inapplicable to acts authorized pursuant to permits issued by a wildlife agency as part of wildlife conservation research and to traditional methods of animal testing performed for the purpose of medical research, as defined. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.