Section 43-21-612 - Buddy's Law; order that a child adjudicated delinquent of certain offenses against domesticated dogs or cats receive psychiatric evaluation and counseling or treatment; statement of intent

(1) This section shall be known and may be cited as 'Buddy's Law.'(2) When a child is adjudicated delinquent of an offense involving the intentional torturing, mutilating, maiming, burning, starving to death, crushing, disfiguring, drowning, suffocating or impaling of a domesticated dog or cat as described in Section 97-41-16, the youth court shall order that the child adjudicated delinquent receives a psychiatric evaluation and counseling or treatment for a length of time as prescribed by the youth court. The cost of any evaluation, counseling and treatment shall be paid by the offender's parent or guardian, or by the state if the offender is a ward of the state, upon order of the youth court, up to a maximum amount that is no more than the jurisdictional limit of the sentencing court. The youth court shall hold the offender's parent or guardian in contempt under Section 43-21-509 if the parent or guardian willfully does not follow the recommended treatment for the offender.(3) The Legislature does recognize that animal abuse by a child often leads to further criminal activity by the child as he or she ages.

lly does not follow the recommended treatment for the offender.(3) The Legislature does recognize that animal abuse by a child often leads to further criminal activity by the child as he or she ages. This activity is sometimes homicidal; however, it is the Legislature's intent that a mental health evaluation under this section is only required in extreme situations as prescribed in Section 97-41-16. Further, it is the intent of the Legislature that a minor offense of abuse of a cat or dog by a child shall not require a mental health evaluation unless the judge, after a hearing, shall determine if the evaluation is necessary.Added by Laws, 2022, ch. 423, SB 2245,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2022.