Animal Wellness Action urges Attorney General Pam Bondi to work with federal lawmakers to create an Animal Cruelty Crimes section
Washington, D.C. — The Department of Justice needs an Animal Cruelty Crimes section to combat acts of malice toward animals, according to a bipartisan group of House lawmakers, including U.S. Reps. David Joyce, R-Ohio, Joe Neguse, D-Colo., Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., and Steve Cohen, D-Tenn. These lawmakers introduced the Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act, H.R. 1477, to achieve that goal.
The new section would concentrate on enforcing federal anti-cruelty laws, including a series of measures signed by President Trump during his first term. Trump had a signing ceremony for the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act and signed measures into law to prohibit dogfighting and cockfighting in the U.S. territories and to make it a federal crime to sell dog and cat meat for human consumption.
“Without enforcement, our laws are just aspirations, and criminals ignore them and charge ahead with their cruelty and chaos,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. “Crimes of malice toward animals are predictors of violence toward humans, so we are making everybody safer in our communities by robustly enforcing these laws.”
In recent years, the House and Senate have passed amendments and approved report language to urge the formation of the Animal Cruelty Crimes section at DOJ.
“As a lifelong pet owner who considers our dog, Sam, part of the family, I am devastated by the prevalence of animal cruelty in our communities,” said Congressman Joyce. “We must hold these criminals who commit these crimes of animal cruelty accountable and ensure our beloved pets are protected to the fullest extent. By creating a dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes section within the Department of Justice, the ACE Act will do just that by improving the federal government’s ability to crack down on animal cruelty and hold perpetrators accountable in a timely, efficient manner.”
“Failure to enforce animal fighting laws leaves animals to suffer and puts communities at risk from the drug trafficking and other violence against people that goes hand-in-hand with animal fighting activities,” said Congressman Joe Neguse. “I’m proud to lead efforts to ensure safety and justice for animals, efforts that will lead to safer communities for our friends and neighbors as well.”
“As a dog owner, I know that our animals are more than pets, they’re part of our family, and animal cruelty has no place in our society,” said Congressman Ciscomani. “It is crucial that our law enforcement has the resources and authority to hold anyone who commits these egregious actions accountable to the full extent of the law. I’m proud to support the bipartisan Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act to create a dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes division at the Department of Justice to strengthen investigation and prosecution of these heinous crimes.”
“Having laws to prevent animal cruelty is important, but ensuring they are enforced is essential. The ACE Act will establish a dedicated division of the Department of Justice to ensure that happens, preventing cruelty to wild animals, pets and farm animals.” said Congressman Cohen, a member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus.
Animal Wellness Action notes that so many of the boys and young men involved in mass shootings started their descent into violence and mayhem by committing animal cruelty.
It’s also apparent that U.S.-based animal fighters are business partners with cartels and other organized crime associations, and they may be trafficking 1 million fighting animals to supply fighting pits in other nations, especially Mexico. In December 2024, four people were murdered at a Mexican cockfighting arena, including “El Chabelo,” a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. In November 2024, cockfighting enthusiast and son-in-law of cartel leader “El Mencho” was arrested in Riverside County. In late January 2024, 14 people were wounded and six murdered, including a 16-year-old from eastern Washington, at a cockfighting derby in the Mexican state of Guerrero. Months before, also in Mexico, 20 people were massacred at a cockfighting derby, including a Chicago woman.