BOISE -- The House Agricultural Affairs Committee rejected a proposal to add a felony provision for animal cruelty to state law.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow, said adding a felony provision for a third animal cruelty conviction would make it much less likely animal welfare groups would move ahead with a citizen's initiative this fall.

Idaho is one of only three states without a felony provision for animal cruelty and Humane Society of the United States ranks Idaho 50th out of 51 states and Washington, D.C., on its list of states most friendly toward animals.

Trail said it's better to address the issue legislatively rather than through a citizen's initiative, which some cattle groups fear would be much more strict and could seek to redefine animal welfare.

"We can either do this legislatively or do it through the initiative process," he said.

He said polls indicating 70 percent of Idahoans support adding a felony animal cruelty provision to Idaho law "almost guarantees passage (of an initiative) if enough signatures are collected to put it on the ballot."

The committee rejected the bill, but similar legislation will be presented in the Senate Feb. 9.

-- Sean Ellis