From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[www.gpoaccess.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 3, 2007]
[CITE: 18USC48]

[Page 27]

TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

PART I--CRIMES

CHAPTER 3--ANIMALS, BIRDS, FISH, AND PLANTS

Sec. 48. Depiction of animal cruelty

(a) Creation, Sale, or Possession.--Whoever knowingly creates, sells, or 
possesses a depiction of animal cruelty with the intention of placing that 
depiction in interstate or foreign commerce for commercial gain, shall be fined 
under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(b) Exception.--Subsection (a) does not apply to any depiction that 
has serious religious, political, scientific, educational, journalistic, 
historical, or artistic value.

(c) Definitions.--In this section--
		(1) the term "depiction of animal cruelty" means any visual or auditory 
		depiction, including any photograph, motion-picture film, video recording, 
		electronic image, or sound recording of conduct in which a living animal is 
		intentionally maimed, mutilated, tortured, wounded, or killed, if such 
		conduct is illegal under Federal law or the law of the State in which the 
		creation, sale, or possession takes place, regardless of whether the 
		maiming, mutilation, torture, wounding, or killing took place in the State; 
		and
		(2) the term "State" means each of the several States, the District of 
		Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, 
		American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any 
		other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

(Added Pub. L. 106-152, Sec. 1(a), Dec. 9, 1999, 113 Stat. 1732.)