Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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3 SENATE BILL 945 By: Guthrie
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to crimes and punishments; amending
7 21 O.S. 2021, Section 1685, which relates to animal
8 cruelty; creating misdemeanor offense; modifying
8 scope and penalty of certain felony offense; creating
9 felony offense; providing penalties; updating
9 statutory language; and providing an effective date.
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12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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13 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 21 O.S. 2021, Section 1685, is
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14 amended to read as follows:
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15 Section 1685. A. Any person who shall knowingly deprive any
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16 animal in subjugation or captivity, whether wild or tame, and
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17 whether belonging to the person or to another, of necessary food,
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18 drink, shelter, or veterinary care; or who shall cause, procure, or
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19 permit any such animal to be deprived by another shall be guilty,
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20 upon conviction, of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the
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21 county jail for a term not to exceed one (1) year, by a fine not
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22 more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by both such
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23 imprisonment and fine. Any animal so maltreated shall be considered
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24 a neglected animal.
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Req. No. 1026 Page 1
1 B. Any person who shall willfully or maliciously torture
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2 knowingly, destroy, or kill, or cruelly beat or injure, maim, or
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3 mutilate any animal in subjugation or captivity, whether wild or
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4 tame, and whether belonging to the person or to another, or deprive
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5 any such animal of necessary food, drink, shelter, or veterinary
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6 care to prevent suffering; or who shall cause, procure, or permit
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7 any such animal to be so tortured, destroyed, or killed, or cruelly
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8 beaten or injured, maimed, or mutilated, or deprived of necessary
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9 food, drink, shelter, or veterinary care to prevent suffering; or
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10 who shall willfully set on foot, instigate, engage in, or in any way
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11 further any act of cruelty to any animal, or any act tending to
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12 produce such cruelty, shall be guilty, upon conviction, of a felony
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13 and shall be punished punishable by imprisonment in the State
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14 Penitentiary custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not
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15 exceeding to exceed five (5) years, or by imprisonment in the county
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16 jail for a term not to exceed exceeding one (1) year, or by a fine
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17 not exceeding more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by
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18 both such imprisonment and fine. Any animal so maltreated or abused
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19 shall be considered an abused or neglected animal.
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20 C. Any person providing commercial services for animals,
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21 including, but not limited to, veterinary care, grooming services,
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22 or boarding, who shall willfully or maliciously destroy, kill, beat,
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23 injure, maim, or mutilate an animal or pet in his or her care,
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24 shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a felony punishable by
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Req. No. 1026 Page 2
1 imprisonment in the Department of Corrections for a term not to
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2 exceed ten (10) years, a fine not more than Seven Thousand Dollars
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3 ($7,000.00), or by both such imprisonment and fine.
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4 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
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6 60-1-1026 CN 1/19/2025 5:46:29 AM
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Req. No. 1026 Page 3Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.