More often than not Democrats and Republicans have difficulty agreeing on much of anything in Washington, D.C. However, in a rare sign of unity in the U.S. House of Representatives, the two parties came together to pass a bill that bans the slaughter, transportation, sale and possession of dogs and cats for consumption in America.

Animal lovers around Bozeman may assume that this practice is already illegal in Montana, but only six states in the U.S. currently have laws against slaughtering and eating dogs and cats, and the Treasure State isn't one of them.

The Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act of 2018 now needs to be taken up by the U.S. Senate and passed in order for the bill to be signed into law.

Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan and Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings, both of Florida, co-sponsored the bill with Hastings releasing the following statement:

"The House of Representatives has voted to unify animal cruelty laws across the country, which would prohibit the slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption," Hastings said. "I am proud to have championed this effort in Congress to explicitly ban the killing and consumption dogs and cats across the United States, and am greatly appreciative of my friend and colleague Congressman Buchanan for taking the 'Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act' across the finish line today."

The bill also prevents foreign and interstate trade of cats and dogs for consumption purposes.

However, there is an exception for Indian tribes. The bill states that tribes can engage in this behavior "for the purpose of a religious ceremony."

The bill calls for a maximum penalty for eating cats and dogs to be $5,000.

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