South Dakota Bill Would Establish Bond and Seizure Provisions for Animal Cruelty Cases

South Dakota Senate Bill 158 would authorize courts to order animal cruelty defendants to post a bond when they are charged and would establish other financial obligations on defendants, including responsibility for all costs of care following seizure. Any law enforcement agency that has seized an animal in connection with a cruelty case would have a lien on the animal for costs incurred from the seizure and conviction.