Bronx state Sen. Luis Sepúlveda, recently accused of assaulting his wife, has introduced legislation to combat animal cruelty.

Albany insiders argued that Sepúlveda is not the best messenger right now to fight cruelty of any kind given his own domestic violence case. Sepúlveda has denied the domestic violence claims.

“He’s taking care of dogs and cats before his wife,” one statehouse source said.

Said Senate Republican Minority Leader Robert Ortt, “Senator Sepulveda should probably be focused on his personal legal issues. With pending domestic violence charges against him, introducing this particular piece of legislation seems tone deaf and out of touch.”

Meanwhile Republicans have called on the Senate Democratic leadership and internal governance committee chairwoman Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx) to open an ethics probe of Sulpelveda.

The Sepúlveda measure, introduced on Wednesday, would extend the coverage of the felony animal cruelty law to cover wildlife animals as well as companion animals or pets.

The measure is sponsored in the Assembly by Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan).

“Since the passage of the felony animal cruelty statute, there have been a number of egregious cases in which wild animals have been captured and tortured. This bill would allow these cases to be prosecuted under the felony animal cruelty statute,” Sepúlveda and Rosenthal say in a memo explaining the bill.

They emphasized the expansion of the anti-animal cruelty law would not impact state-licensed hunting or trapping of animals.

“The stringent standard of proof created by the ‘aggravating’ factors contained in the felony law — that require proof of intent to cause extreme physical pain or that the conduct was especially depraved or sadistic would remain unchanged, thereby ensuring that only the most heinous cases of the mistreatment of wild animals are treated as felony offenses,” Sepúlveda said.

Sepúlveda spokesman Michael Nieves said Thursday regarding the legislation, “The senator is going to continue working for the people of his district. He’s continuing to cooperate with the investigation. He’s allowing the process to move forward.”

At a toy drive he sponsored in his district last week, Sepúlveda denied assaulting his wife after a community leader falsely claimed he admitted to wrongdoing.

“I have not admitted to any acts of domestic violence. Let’s make that clear because I have not. We’ll deal with that in some other forum, but right now it’s really about the children,” Sepúlveda said.

Sepúlveda turned himself in to the NYPD on Jan. 12 for allegedly choking his wife during a fight, police sources said.

Sepúlveda, 56, and his estranged wife, Elizabeth Sepúlveda, 40, filed separate reports accusing each other of assault during the domestic dispute three days prior

The Bronx lawmaker — who chaired the state Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections Committee — was charged with criminal obstruction of breathing, sources said. The Senate leadership stripped him of his committee chairmanship and other committee assignments pending the outcome of the case.

Sepúlveda allegedly choked his wife after she punched him during an argument inside their Daly Avenue apartment in West Farms, police sources said. Injuries were minor and cops observed no bruising on either spouse when they arrived, a source said.

Sepúlveda is a candidate for borough president.