Feathers and fur
If Virginia Del. Jennifer McClellan, D-Henrico, has her way, Virginians may think twice before swiping their next feline.
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As the General Assembly convenes today, McClellan is set to introduce HB 334, which, according to its summary, “makes it a Class 5 felony to steal a cat.”
The actual language of the bill goes deeper, however. It states: “Any person who shall be guilty of the larceny of a dog, cat, horse, pony, mule, cow, steer, bull or calf shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony.”
But apparently anything with feathers is treated like a second-class critter: “Any person who shall be guilty of the larceny of any poultry of the value of $5 or more, but of the value of less than $200 … shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.”
The bill notes that while “the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment,” the appropriations necessary to fund the increased prison time can’t be determined.
Guess it depends on how many chicken burglars there are in the Old Dominion.
