The Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act, H.R.1016, was recently introduced by U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse (D-CO), David Joyce (R-OH), and Steve Cohen (D-TN). If passed into federal law, the ACE Act would establish a dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes division within the U.S. Department of Justice to increase the investigation, enforcement, and prosecution of felony animal cruelty crimes. Federal statutes that would fall under the jurisdiction of the division include the Animal Fighting Venture Prohibition Act, the Horse Protection Act, and the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act.

​Following a series of Congressional laws put in place to fortify the federal legal framework against the malicious mistreatment of animals, the Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act, H.R.1016, has been introduced by U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse (D-CO), David Joyce (R-OH), and Steve Cohen (D-TN). If passed into federal law, the ACE Act would establish a dedicated division at the U.S. Department of Justice to increase the investigation, enforcement, and prosecution of felony animal cruelty crimes.

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“As a life-long pet owner, I want those who commit crimes of animal cruelty brought to justice and as a former prosecutor, I want to make sure the criminals who commit these crimes can’t escalate to committing violence against other people." 

–- U.S. Representative, David Joyce (R-OH). Original Sponsor of the Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act.

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​𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗝
Society and our U.S. lawmakers have made it explicitly clear that egregious acts of animal cruelty (including dogfighting, cockfighting, intentional torture, and bestiality) will not be tolerated in the USA and perpetrators of such crimes need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Unfortunately, enforcement of our federal animal protection laws continue to see lengthy delays, with many crimes going unprosecuted completely. According to the DOJ's own records, between 2015 and 2019, less than 200 defendants were charged, convicted or sentenced for animal welfare offenses.