Laws in favor of court-ordered psych evaluations copy

Court-ordered treatment is an effective way to address the roots of animal cruelty and provide sustainable solutions and rehabilitation for convicted offenders. Such treatment will often entail a psychological evaluation and, if deemed necessary, further counseling. Treatment may also take the form of anger management or educational courses.

As of 2020, 16 states and the Northern Mariana Islands statutorily authorize the court in its discretion to order psychological evaluation and, if necessary, treatment for convicted animal abusers. An additional 20 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands require psychological evaluation/treatment for certain convicted animal abusers. However almost every one of those 20 states limits its mandatory counseling statute to certain abusers—typically people who committed torture or sexual assault of an animal, or those who were a juvenile at the time of the offense.

In 2020, Iowa overhauled their animal cruelty code and now requires courts to order psychological evaluations in cases involving animal torture or juveniles, and explicitly permits courts to order evaluations in other animal cruelty cases. Also this year, the Northern Mariana Islands enacted their first animal protection laws, and now permit courts to order convicted offenders to participate in animal cruelty prevention programs or psychological counseling.