An act relating to animal cruelty violation forfeitures and the Animal Welfare Fund

The bill VT S0182 aims to address the issue of animal cruelty by establishing a system for forfeiting funds collected from violations of animal cruelty laws. These funds would be directed to the Animal Welfare Fund, which supports animal care and welfare initiatives in Vermont. Essentially, it seeks to enhance the financial resources available for protecting animals and ensuring their well-being.

VT S0182 is a senate bill in the Vermont 2025-2026 Session, sponsored by Terry Williams (R), currently “Introduced” since January 6, 2026.

We track 1,717 Vermont bills this session, 11 of them sponsored by Terry Williams.

Supporters of VT S0182 would highlight the bill as a significant step toward improving animal welfare in Vermont. By ensuring that fines from animal cruelty violations are reinvested into the Animal Welfare Fund, the legislation promises to provide much-needed resources for the care and protection of animals across the state.

Critics of VT S0182 may argue that the bill does not address the root causes of animal cruelty and merely focuses on financial penalties. They might express concerns that the legislation could lead to insufficient enforcement of animal welfare laws, as it relies heavily on the collection of fines rather than proactive measures to prevent cruelty.