Shelly's Law
Shelly’s Law is a legislative initiative focused on strengthening Illinois’ animal cruelty laws and addressing specific gaps that can prevent meaningful accountability in cases involving felony animal torture.
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Shelly’s Law Coalition believes felony animal torture represents one of the most serious forms of animal cruelty and should be treated with the seriousness it deserves. A conviction for felony animal torture should result in meaningful criminal accountability, including appropriate custodial consequences.
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Shelly's Law is an ongoing legislative initiative. As draft legislation is developed and additional resources become available, this website will be updated with bill language, legislative progress, frequently asked questions, and opportunities to support the effort.
The proposed legislative reforms
1. End prison sentence credit for pretrial home electronic monitoring in felony animal torture cases
Our proposal
A person convicted of felony animal torture should serve the custodial sentence imposed by the court, rather than satisfying that sentence through pretrial home confinement.
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This reform would help ensure that felony animal torture convictions carry meaningful custodial consequences and that prison sentences imposed by the court are served as intended.
Why this matters
Current Illinois law allows qualifying time spent on pretrial home electronic monitoring to be credited toward certain prison sentences.
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In the Thomas Martel case, the defendant received a 4½-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to felony animal torture and aggravated cruelty to animals. However, more than 1,000 days spent on qualifying pretrial home electronic monitoring satisfied the custodial portion of that sentence. As a result, he entered and was released from prison on the same day, serving no additional time in prison after sentencing.
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When a court determines that imprisonment is the appropriate sentence for felony animal torture, that sentence should be meaningfully served.
2. Strengthen sentencing for crimes involving multiple animal victims
Our proposal
Illinois law should recognize each animal victim at sentencing by expanding the availability of consecutive sentences where appropriate. Torturing or killing multiple animals should not be treated as though there were only a single victim.
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This reform would give courts greater flexibility to impose sentences that more accurately reflect the number of victims harmed and the seriousness of the offense.
Why this matters
Each animal harmed through felony animal torture represents an individual victim. However, current sentencing laws do not always allow the full scope of harm to be reflected when multiple animals are involved.
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The Thomas Martel case highlighted this concern. Although prosecutors alleged multiple kittens were tortured and killed, the case ultimately resulted in accountability centered on a single animal.
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Sentencing should be able to recognize each victim and reflect the overall severity of crimes involving multiple animal victims.
Support Shelly's Law
Lasting legislative change takes public support. Sign the petition to add your name in support of these two targeted reforms.
