In Utah, Drone Harassment of Livestock Could Be a Crime

HB217, a bill sponsored by Rep. Scott Chew, was unanimously approved in the House on Tuesday. It now moves to the Utah Senate. The legislation would make it a class B misdemeanor if a person knowingly uses an ATV, dog, or drone to harm or harass livestock. If the animal is killed or seriously injured and the person is a repeat offender, they would then be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. That class A misdemeanor carries a $2,500 fine and a potential one-year stay in jail. "We see people harassing livestock with all-terrain vehicles . . . People in four-wheelers have chased down and run over calves," Larry Lewis, a spokesperson for Utah's Department of Agriculture, told The Daily Beast...more