DOVER, Del. - A proposed law making its way through the Delaware General Assembly would increase the legal penalties for repeat animal cruelty offenders and even prohibit a person from owning an animal for the rest of their life after two felony violations.
House Bill 134, initially introduced in May of 2025, was passed out of committee on Wednesday, Jan. 21. The bill would update Title 11 of the Delaware Code in regards to animal cruelty. Under the proposed law, after two misdemeanor violations of the animal cruelty code, any further violation would be upgraded to a class F felony.
After that first felony violation, if yet another violation occurs, the proposed law would classify it as a class E felony.
According to Delaware law, a class F felony carries up to 3 years of incarceration. Class E felonies carry up to 5 years.
The proposed law goes on further to stipulate that anyone convicted of a second felony animal cruelty violation would be prohibited from owning or possessing an animal for the rest of their life, “without exception.”
HB 134 is the latest legislative effort in the First State to crack down on instances of animal cruelty. Last year, lawmakers passed SB 174, establishing a public list of adults convicted of animal abuse. That list went live in December of 2025.
The new animal cruelty law has bipartisan support with Republican House Minority Whip Jeffrey Spiegelman listed as the primary sponsor and Democratic Senator Trey Paradee listed as an additional sponsor, among others from both sides of the aisle. HB 134 now awaits consideration from the Delaware House of Representatives.