Find the text of this bill, S.B. 248, here. Under S.B. 248, if employees or contractors for the Dept. of Children and Families have reasonable cause to suspect animal cruelty or aggravated animal cruelty, they must report it to the commissioner of the department. The commissioner, in turn, would be required to turn over all pertinent information to the appropriate state's attorney and humane officers. 

The commissioner must then keep the informant apprised of whether there is an investigation and also whether that resulted in any civil or criminal action.

The bill is sponsored by State Sens. Virginia Lyons and Douglas Racine. It remains pending in the Judiciary Committee.

Find your Vermont legislators here and write and call and urge them to pass this bill.

For more on the importance of cross reporting child abuse or other crimes and animal cruelty and similar laws in other states.....