Most cases of animal cruelty are misdemeanors, but there's a new effort in Washington, D.C. to strengthen the nation's animal cruelty laws.

Except for a scar, "Coco" shows few signs of the traumatic experience he went through last November. He was formerly known as "Chocolate," the dog who was stabbed by a Brentwood man who had been arguing with his girlfriend. A second dog that was stabbed died. The man charged in the dog stabbing ended up pleading guilty to misdemeanors.

Adam Winterfield eventually adopted Chocolate and renamed him.

The group known as Strong Island Animal Rescue arranged for the Coco's medical treatment. It says it's strongly supporting a bill in Congress that would make acts of animal cruelty felonies instead of misdemeanors. It's known as the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, or PACT Act.

Gary Rogers, of the Nassau SPCA, says the bill was prompted by the growth in what are called "crush videos" -- underground videos in which small animals are tortured and killed.

In 2010, Congress passed a law banning the creation and distribution of animal cruelty videos. The PACT Act takes it one step further and makes the violent act itself a felony.

U.S. Rep. Peter King says there are currently 217 co-sponsors of the bill.