RELEASE: Gottheimer Introduces New Bipartisan Legislation to Crack Down on Animal Cruelty

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, June 3, 2025, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) introduced the bipartisan FBI Animal Cruelty Taskforce Act to crack down on animal abuse, strengthen enforcement of federal anti-cruelty laws, and protect animals nationwide. The legislation is co-led by Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11).

The legislation will establish a dedicated task force within the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate and build cases of animal cruelty against abusers, including dogfighting, cockfighting, crush videos, and other acts of animal abuse. The task force will also develop training resources to help local law enforcement identify and combat animal abuse in their communities.

“Animals are cherished companions in our homes, valuable partners for people with disabilities, and essential to our farms and our economy,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “Our new bipartisan legislation will give law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on animal cruelty and hold abusers accountable. We must continue to work together to stop animal cruelty and ensure all animals are treated with the care and dignity they deserve.”

“Our bipartisan legislation will establish a dedicated task force within the FBI to go after those who violate our federal animal cruelty laws, including cases of dogfighting and cockfighting,” said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11). “We must continue to support efforts to protect innocent animals from these inhumane and illegal acts.” 

“When we crack down on animal cruelty, we make our communities safer because malicious acts of violence against animals are invariably tangled up with other criminal conduct, such as narcotics trafficking, domestic violence, human trafficking, and illegal firearms,” said Wayne Pacelle, President of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. “Reps. Gottheimer and Malliotakis are leading an urgently needed legislative campaign that every lawmaker and every American citizen should swing behind regardless of political affiliation.”

As a member of the bipartisan Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, Gottheimer has long fought to protect animals from abuse and mistreatment. He has helped introduce the Goldie’s Act to protect dogs in puppy mills, the FIGHT Act to strengthen the enforcement of federal animal fighting laws, and the PACT Act to strengthen regulations that prevent animal crushing. Gottheimer has consistently received a 100% score from the Humane World Action Fund for his work throughout his time in Congress. 

The legislation can be found here.

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