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Utah House approves animal-cruelty amendments adding hunting-area safety carve-out
Summary
The House adopted an amendment narrowing first substitute HB210’s scope by specifying ‘where hunting is not prohibited’ and passed the amended bill 44–28, sending it to the Senate. Supporters said the change reduces safety risks in populated areas; critics warned of a potential loophole.
The Utah House on Feb. 25 amended and passed first substitute House Bill 210, a measure adjusting animal-cruelty law to allow limited humane shooting of feral animals in certain unincorporated county areas and then approved the amended bill 44–28, referring it to the Senate.
Representative McKiff, sponsor of Amendment No. 1, told colleagues the change inserts the phrase “where hunting is not prohibited” at two locations in the bill to narrow the definition of unincorporated-area authority and reduce safety risks in populated places. “It addresses the issue ... how to narrow the unincorporated area of a county concept so that we do not create serious safety risks in areas that are populated,” McKiff said in explanation.
Representative Oda, the bill sponsor, described the amendment as “very friendly” and said it addresses safety concerns raised in earlier debate and by representatives from rural areas. Oda argued the bill provides an additional remedy where animal services are not available and that rural residents “know exactly what animals belong in the area.”
Representative King opposed adopting the language without further stakeholder input, saying it could create a loophole: the statute exempts from prohibition “humane shooting of an animal in an unincorporated area of a county where hunting is not prohibited if the person has a reasonable belief the animal is feral.” King cautioned the wording could be used by people who “get pleasure from going out and just shooting what are now defined as feral animals.” He urged the sponsor to hold the bill to solicit comment from humane groups and agencies.
Other members, including Representative Cox and Representative Hemingway, supported the amendment, saying committee review resolved prior concerns and that trap-neuter-release and other methods would remain available. After summation was waived, the House adopted Amendment No. 1 and later voted to pass the amended bill, 44 yes to 28 no.
The measure will be sent to the Senate for consideration.
