Equal Punishment for Crimes Against Domestic Animals

Domestic animals shall have equal protection for crimes against them as humans. Under the criminal court of law, domestic animals will have the same distinction as "children" of U.S. citizens when it comes to crimes against them. Punishments of these crimes will also carry equal severity as if committed against "children".
This distinction will be separate from the general definition of domestic animals under the law as being "property". This way, the business of buying and selling domestic animals can still be legal.