Animal unit neglect arises when one with custody or ownership fails to provide adequate care of the animals. The offense is a Class B misdemeanor for the first offense, and a Class A misdemeanor thereafter. Animal unit abuse constitutes a Class B misdemeanor when a person intentionally kills more than five mammal animal units in a manner not authorized by law or intentionally causes injury to the mammals.

Upon conviction of either offense, the court may require the defendant to pay reasonable expenses for care of the neglected animals, disposal of any dead or diseased animals, debris clean-up and minimization of other public health risks.

The existing offense for animal neglect, Section 578.009, RSMo, is amended to create a new offense for abandonment, however, the requirement that substantial harm must result to the animal has been removed. Additional provisions allow the court to order the defendant to pay similar expenses incurred as in one of the animal unit offenses.

Finally, the definitions found in Section 578.005, RSMo, are expanded to include "animal husbandry".

DENISE GARNIER