HB 87: Animal Crime Victim Amendments - Utah

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 8 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly streamlined by removing the creation of new laws for forfeiture hearings and dog fighting arrests, while simplifying existing rules for seizing mistreated animals. The changes shift the process to allow immediate placement of seized animals with new owners who agree to care for them, rather than requiring a separate court hearing to decide ownership. This reduces legal complexity and speeds up the process of ensuring animals are removed from abusive situations.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed by deleting provisions that established a separate civil court process for forfeiting animals before criminal trials conclude and removed specific authority for seizing property in dog fighting cases.

ENFORCEMENT

Deleted the new Section 77-11a-206, which previously allowed officers to enter properties to provide emergency care and impound animals without a warrant.

Deleted the new Section 77-11a-207, which previously allowed courts to order owners to pay for care and complete education programs as part of a sentence.

Deleted the new Section 78B-3-1301 through 78B-3-1303, which previously created a specific court process for petitioning to forfeit an animal before a criminal trial ends.

Deleted Section 76-13-103, which previously granted peace officers specific authority to arrest and seize property in dog fighting exhibitions.

REQUIREMENT

Modified Section 76-13-102 to allow officers to immediately place seized animals with new owners who agree to provide care, instead of holding the animal until a court determines forfeiture.

DEFINITION

Added a definition for 'animal abuse offense' to clarify which specific crimes trigger the seizure and placement procedures.

Added a definition for 'minimum care' to specify the basic standards for food, water, and shelter that new owners must agree to provide.

TECHNICAL

Removed extensive definitions for terms like 'computer,' 'contraband,' 'interest holder,' and 'proceeds' that were part of a broader forfeiture chapter but not needed for this specific animal bill.

Amended 2/19/2026 11:02:615 → Substitute #1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah's animal cruelty laws to allow for the release of animals from shelters while criminal cases are still pending, rather than holding them indefinitely. It also clarifies the authority of officers to enter properties to rescue animals and establishes a specific legal process for owners to petition the court to forfeit ownership of animals involved in crimes. The changes aim to balance animal welfare with legal due process by ensuring owners can be heard in court before an animal is permanently removed from their care.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of animal protection by creating a new mechanism for the early release or transfer of animals held due to criminal activity, and it adds specific procedures for forfeiture hearings.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a process allowing animal shelters to petition the court to release or transfer an animal to alternative care while the owner's criminal case is ongoing.

REQUIREMENT

Established a new legal procedure where owners can be heard in court before an animal is forfeited, including requirements for notice and hearings.

Authorized courts to order animal owners to pay for shelter costs and to require offenders to complete animal cruelty prevention education programs.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified and expanded the authority of peace officers and animal control officers to enter premises or vehicles to rescue animals being mistreated or associated with crimes.

TECHNICAL

Updated the effective date of the bill from February 19, 2026, to January 26, 2026.

Amended Excerpts 2/19/2026 11:02:615 → Amended 2/19/2026 11:02:615 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill significantly expands Utah's ability to protect animals involved in crimes by creating new legal pathways to seize, impound, and forfeit them. It allows law enforcement to enter properties without warrants to save abused animals and establishes a process for courts to order owners to pay for care or complete cruelty prevention programs upon conviction.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope from simple impoundment rules to a comprehensive forfeiture and civil remedy system, applying to animals involved in various criminal acts including abuse, dog fighting, and other offenses listed in the Utah Code.

ENFORCEMENT

Law enforcement and first responders can now enter premises or vehicles without a warrant to provide emergency care or impound animals suspected of being abused.

REQUIREMENT

New procedures allow courts to order convicted animal owners to repay the full cost of care provided by shelters or agencies and to participate in cruelty prevention education programs.

ELIGIBILITY

A new civil process is created allowing third parties to petition the court to forfeit an animal's ownership before the criminal case against the owner concludes.

The criteria for when an animal can be forfeited were updated to explicitly include animals associated with specific animal abuse charges and crimes.

DEFINITION

New statutory definitions are added to clarify terms like 'claimant,' 'innocent owner,' and 'minimum care' to support the new forfeiture framework.

Enrolled → Amended Excerpts 2/19/2026 11:02:615 · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill was amended to expand the scope of animals eligible for forfeiture or release under specific state laws. Previously, only animals seized due to abuse were covered; the amendment now includes animals impounded for various other crimes listed in Sections 76-13-104 and 76-13-205. This change ensures that animals involved in a wider range of criminal activities can be processed through forfeiture or release procedures.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include animals impounded for crimes beyond just animal abuse, specifically adding offenses described in Sections 76-13-104 and 76-13-205 to the list of qualifying offenses.

ELIGIBILITY

Added specific criminal offenses (Sections 76-13-104 and 76-13-205) to the list of crimes that allow an impounded animal to be eligible for forfeiture or release.

Introduced → Enrolled · 7 edits · Mar 25, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was significantly simplified and streamlined by removing a complex, multi-section framework for animal forfeiture and replacing it with a single, unified section. The new version clarifies that law enforcement can immediately place seized animals with new owners or agencies rather than just holding them for auction, and it explicitly defines 'minimum care' standards to ensure animal welfare during this process.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed and consolidated. The original version created a separate, detailed petition process for owners to challenge forfeiture before a criminal trial concluded. The new version removes this pre-trial petition mechanism and instead focuses on immediate action by officers to place animals in care.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the entire petition process that allowed animal shelters or government counsel to file a motion to review forfeiture before a criminal case was resolved.

Changed the outcome for animals held under lien to allow transfer of ownership to a new caretaker instead of requiring a public auction or destruction.

DEFINITION

Deleted the separate definitions section for 'animal shelter' and the specific exclusion of private humane societies from the definition.

Added clear definitions for 'animal abuse offense' and 'minimum care' directly into the main section to guide officer decisions.

ENFORCEMENT

Expanded the authority of officers to immediately place an animal with a new owner or agency upon seizure, rather than only holding it for potential auction or destruction.

Removed the specific provisions regarding dog fighting exhibitions and the separate affidavit filing process for those cases.

TIMELINE

Condensed the bill from 8 sections covering various procedures into 3 concise sections focused on definitions, officer authority, and effective date.

Animal Crime Victim Amendments

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