I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7396 
To direct the Attorney General to conduct a study on animal cruelty, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 15, 2024 
Ms. TITUS (for herself, Mr. BUCHANAN, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. 
FITZPATRICK, Mr. JOYCE of Ohio, and Mrs. TRAHAN) introduced the fol-
lowing 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 2024’’ or the 
‘‘AVERT Future Violence Act of 2024’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ANIMAL CRUELTY.—The term ‘‘animal cru-
elty’’— 
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(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 
(vi) performed as part of euthanizing 
an animal. 
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(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; 
(ii) any organization that provides 
mental health services to perpetrators and 
survivors of crime; 
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(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. 
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-
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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, 
are associated with the same or different evi-
dence-informed risk factors); 
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