I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8659 
To direct the Attorney General to conduct a study on animal cruelty, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 5, 2022 
Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts (for herself, Ms. TITUS, Ms. MOORE of Wis-
consin, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. KATKO, Mr. JOYCE of Ohio, Mr. FITZPATRICK, 
and Mr. BUCHANAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To direct the Attorney General to conduct a study on animal 
cruelty, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Animal Violence Ex-
poses Real Threat of Future Violence Act of 2022’’ or the 
‘‘AVERT Future Violence Act of 2022’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) ANIMAL CRUELTY.—The term ‘‘animal cru-
elty’’— 
(A) means— 
(i) intentionally, knowingly, or reck-
lessly harming or killing an animal, includ-
ing maiming, mutilating, torturing, wound-
ing, poisoning, engaging in animal fight-
ing, and sexually abusing an animal, or at-
tempting to do so; or 
(ii) intentionally or knowingly neglect-
ing or depriving an animal of necessary 
sustenance or shelter, or attempting to do 
so; and 
(B) does not include any conduct that is— 
(i) customary and normal veterinary, 
agricultural husbandry, or other animal 
management practice; 
(ii) the slaughter of animals for food; 
(iii) hunting, trapping, fishing, a 
sporting activity not otherwise prohibited 
by Federal law, predator control, or pest 
control; 
(iv) medical or scientific research; 
(v) necessary to protect the life of a 
person; or 
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(vi) performed as part of euthanizing 
an animal. 
(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
(A) a State; 
(B) a unit of local government; 
(C) a State or local court (including a ju-
venile court); 
(D) an Indian Tribe; or 
(E) any other organization that has a doc-
umented history of effective work identifying, 
intervening in, preventing, reducing, or other-
wise responding to animal cruelty, or animal 
cruelty as related to interpersonal violence (as 
determined by the Secretary), including— 
(i) any organization that works di-
rectly with or on behalf of pets, service 
animals, emotional support animals, or 
horses and collaborates with any organiza-
tion referred to in subparagraphs (A) 
through (D), including— 
(I) an animal shelter; and 
(II) an animal welfare organiza-
tion; 
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(ii) any organization that provides 
mental health services to perpetrators and 
survivors of crime; 
(iii) any organization that develops 
and provides training programs for law en-
forcement, judges, prosecutors, other court 
personnel, veterinarians, or mental health 
professionals; 
(iv) a domestic violence and sexual as-
sault victim service provider; 
(v) a domestic violence and sexual as-
sault coalition; 
(vi) a child abuse victim service pro-
vider; 
(vii) a provider of services to families 
under the supervision of the courts or de-
partments of child and family services; 
(viii) an elder abuse victim service 
provider; 
(ix) a community-based and culturally 
specific organization; and 
(x) any other nonprofit, nongovern-
mental organization. 
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SEC. 3. STUDY ON ANIMAL CRUELTY, UNDERLYING FAC-
TORS, AND FUTURE ACTS OF HUMAN VIO-
LENCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, act-
ing through the Director of the National Institute of Jus-
tice, shall carry out a study— 
(1) on the underlying factors that contribute to 
acts of animal cruelty committed by individuals; and 
(2) that analyzes acts of animal cruelty as a 
predictor of future violence against humans. 
(b) CONTENT OF STUDY.—In carrying out the study 
under subsection (a), the Director of the National Insti-
tute of Justice shall— 
(1) specifically examine, through a review of 
scientific literature, original research, and expert 
input, as appropriate— 
(A) evidence-informed risk factors associ-
ated or correlated with individuals who commit 
acts of animal cruelty; 
(B) whether certain acts of animal cruelty 
can be correlated with certain evidence-in-
formed risk factors (such as whether the acts of 
animal torturing, tormenting, mutilation, maim-
ing, poisoning, organized abuse, such as animal 
fighting, sexual abuse, abandonment, or neglect, 
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are associated with the same or different evi-
dence-informed risk factors); 
(C) whether certain acts of animal cruelty 
demonstrate a tendency or likelihood to commit 
a future act of violence against humans; 
(D) the types of violence against humans 
most commonly associated with certain acts of 
animal cruelty (such as domestic violence and 
assault); and 
(E) recommendations of areas in which fu-
ture research on animal cruelty is needed; and 
(2) develop best practices for— 
(A) early interventions that prevent acts of 
animal cruelty; and 
(B) interventions with individuals who 
have committed acts of animal cruelty to pre-
vent future acts of violence. 
(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Director of the Na-
tional Institute of Justice shall submit to Congress a re-
port containing the specific policy recommendations, based 
on the study conducted under this section, for legislative 
and regulatory action at the Federal, State, and local lev-
els to— 
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(1) address the evidence-informed risk factors 
that may contribute to acts of animal cruelty com-
mitted by individuals; and 
(2) develop effective interventions and diversion 
strategies for both juvenile and non-juvenile offend-
ers who have been convicted of criminal offenses in-
volving animal cruelty that reduce the likelihood of 
offenders committing future violent acts against 
both humans and animals. 
SEC. 4. STOP FUTURE VIOLENCE GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General is author-
ized to establish a grant program to provide assistance to 
eligible entities to develop and strengthen effective detec-
tion strategies, and early intervention or diversion re-
sources, to stop acts of animal cruelty and rehabilitate of-
fenders. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—A grant awarded under this 
section may be used to provide personnel, training, tech-
nical assistance, data collection, and other resources for 
the apprehension, prosecution, adjudication, and mental 
and behavioral health treatment of persons committing 
acts of animal cruelty, for the rehabilitation of perpetra-
tors and the prevention of future acts of animal cruelty 
or violence against humans, and specifically, for the pur-
poses of— 
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(1) training law enforcement officers, judges, 
other court personnel, prosecutors, and mental 
health professionals to more effectively identify and 
respond to acts of animal cruelty; 
(2) developing, training, or expanding units of 
law enforcement officers, judges, other court per-
sonnel, prosecutors, and mental health professionals 
specifically addressing acts of animal cruelty; 
(3) developing and implementing more effective 
police, court, prosecution, mental health, and early 
intervention policies, protocols, orders, and services 
specifically devoted to preventing, identifying, and 
responding to acts of animal cruelty; and 
(4) developing, installing, or expanding data 
collection and communication systems, including 
computerized systems, linking police, prosecutors, 
and courts, or for the purpose of identifying, 
classifying, and tracking arrests, protection orders, 
violations of protection orders, prosecutions, and 
convictions for acts of animal cruelty. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated— 
(1) for the purposes of carrying out section 3, 
$2,000,000 for fiscal year 2023, to remain available 
until expended; and 
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(2) for the purposes of carrying out section 4, 
$2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 
2027. 
Æ 
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