Nevada Companion Animal Protection & Family Member Recognition Act

This Act shall be known as the "Nevada Companion Animal Protection and Family Member Recognition Act."

The Legislature finds that companion animals are sentient beings capable of feeling pain, fear, and affection, and that they serve as integral family members in millions of Nevada households.

The intent of this Act is to:

• Reclassify companion animals as family members under Nevada law, not mere personal property
• Establish severe deterrents against illegal and unlicensed breeding operations
• Create a reward-based program to encourage reporting of animal welfare violations
• Increase penalties for animal cruelty to reflect the severity of harm inflicted on sentient beings
• Criminalize the abandonment of animals in desert and remote areas as a distinct and aggravated offense

Companion animals shall be recognized under Nevada law as sentient beings and family members, not mere personal property.

In all legal proceedings — including but not limited to divorce, custody disputes, domestic violence protective orders, and estate proceedings — courts shall consider the best interests of the companion animal when determining custody or placement.

Damages for the wrongful injury or death of a companion animal shall not be limited to the animal's fair market value. Courts may award damages including but not limited to:

• Veterinary and rehabilitation costs
• Loss of companionship
• Emotional distress of the owner
• Punitive damages where the conduct was willful or malicious

Any person who breeds dogs for sale or distribution without a valid Nevada Breeder License shall be guilty of a criminal offense.

• First offense: Mandatory fine of $10,000 per violation. Each animal bred, sold, or offered for sale constitutes a separate violation.
• Second offense: Category C felony. Mandatory fine of not less than $25,000. Imprisonment of 1-5 years in state prison.
• All animals in the possession of an unlicensed breeder shall be subject to immediate seizure and forfeiture to a licensed rescue organization or animal control authority.
• The Nevada Department of Agriculture shall maintain a public registry of licensed breeders, searchable by the public at no cost.

There is hereby established the "Nevada Animal Welfare Tipline and Reward Program," administered by the Nevada Department of Agriculture in coordination with local law enforcement.

Any person who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of an individual for violations of this Act or existing animal cruelty statutes shall be eligible for a reward of:

• Twenty percent (20%) of all fines collected as a result of the conviction
• Up to a maximum of $10,000 per case
• The identity of all tipsters shall be strictly confidential and protected from disclosure under Nevada public records law
• Retaliation against any person for reporting suspected animal welfare violations is prohibited and constitutes a separate misdemeanor offense

Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 574 (Cruelty to Animals) is hereby amended to increase penalties as follows:

• First offense animal cruelty: Category C felony. Imprisonment of 1-5 years in state prison. Fine of $5,000-$10,000.
• Willful or malicious torture, maiming, or killing of a companion animal: Category B felony. Imprisonment of 2-10 years in state prison. Fine of not less than $10,000.
• Mandatory psychological evaluation and counseling for all persons convicted under this section
• Lifetime ban on animal ownership for any person convicted of a Category B felony under this section
• Mandatory reporting by veterinarians, animal control officers, and law enforcement of suspected animal cruelty, with failure to report constituting a misdemeanor

Any person who knowingly abandons a companion animal at a location five (5) or more miles from the nearest incorporated city or settlement shall be guilty of "Aggravated Animal Abandonment."

Aggravated Animal Abandonment is a Category B felony, punishable by:

• Mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years in state prison. No probation or parole shall be granted for the minimum term.
• Fine of not less than $10,000
• Full restitution to any person or organization that incurred costs in rescuing, sheltering, or providing veterinary care to the abandoned animal
• Lifetime ban on animal ownership
• If the abandoned animal is found deceased or in a condition requiring euthanasia, the offense shall be elevated to a Category A felony with a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment

Chapter 574 of the NRS is hereby amended by adding a new section to read as follows:

1. It shall be unlawful for any person to use, display, or exhibit a companion animal, as defined in NRS 574.300, or any domestic animal, as a prop, tool, or device for the purpose of soliciting money, donations, or anything of value from the public on any public roadway, highway, street, sidewalk, median, on-ramp, off-ramp, intersection, or other public right-of-way.

2. For the purposes of this section, "use as a prop" means the intentional placement or display of an animal in proximity to a person engaged in solicitation, begging, or panhandling where the presence of the animal is intended to, or has the effect of, eliciting sympathy, attracting attention, or otherwise furthering the solicitation.

3. A person who violates this section for the first time is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000, and shall be ordered to complete not less than 48 hours of community service with a local animal shelter or animal rescue organization.

4. A person who violates this section for a second time within a 3-year period is guilty of a gross misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not less than $2,500, imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 364 days, or both. The court shall additionally order the person to surrender ownership or possession of the animal to a licensed animal rescue organization or animal shelter.

5. A person who violates this section for a third or subsequent time within a 5-year period is guilty of a Category E felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130. The court shall permanently prohibit the person from owning or possessing any animal.

6. Any peace officer or animal control officer who observes a violation of this section shall have the authority to immediately take protective custody of the animal if, in the officer's judgment, the animal is in distress, is exposed to extreme heat or cold, lacks adequate water or shade, or is otherwise in danger. Animals taken into protective custody shall be handled in accordance with NRS 574.055.

7. This section shall not apply to:

• (a) Licensed service animals actively performing tasks for a person with a disability
• (b) Animals being walked or transported in the normal course of responsible pet ownership
• (c) Persons lawfully conducting licensed commercial activities involving animals