|
|
State
|
Classification of crime
|
Max. Fine
|
Max. Imprisonment
Punishment
|
Alabama
§ 13A-11-14
Cruelty to animals
|
Class B Misdemeanor
|
$1,000
|
6 months
Back
|
Alaska
§ 11.61.140 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
|
Class A Misdemeanor
|
$5,000
|
1 year
Back
|
|
Arizona
§ 13-2910 et seq.
Cruelty to animals Intentionally interferes with, kills or harms a
working service animal without either legal privilege or consent of the
owner
|
Class 1 Misdemeanor
Class 6 Felony
|
$1,000
$150,000
|
6 months
1 year
Back
|
Arkansas
§ 5-62-101 et seq.*
Cruelty to animals |
Class A Misdemeanor |
$1,000 |
1 year
Back
|
|
California
Penal § 597 et seq.
General cruelty to animals
Cruelty to endangered or protected animals, Malicious
or intentional cruelty to animals
|
Misdemeanor
Felony
|
$1,000
$20,000
|
Back
6 months
State prison or 1 year in county jail
|
Colorado
§ 18-9-201 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
- Colorado statutes contain a second offense provision requiring a
mandatory sentence |
Class 1 Misdemeanor
|
$5,000
|
Back
18 months
|
Connecticut
§ 53-247 et seq.
Cruelty to animals |
Defined in statute
|
$1,000
|
1 year
Back
|
|
Delaware
§ 11-1325 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
Intentional or causes severe injury
|
Class A Misdemeanor
Class F Felony
|
$1,000
Fine determined by the court
|
2 years
Back
3 years
|
District of Columbia
§ 22-801 et seq.
General cruelty
- § 32-908 Authorizes the Washington Humane Society to extend its
operations to the protection of children from cruelty and abuse |
Defined in statute
|
$250
|
6 months
Back
|
|
Florida
§ 828.12 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
Intentional cruelty
|
1st Degree Misdemeanor
3rd Degree Felony
|
$5,000
$10,000
|
1 year
Back
5 years
|
Georgia
§ 16-12-4
Cruelty to animals
- Georgia statutes contain a second offense provision, a violation is a
Misdemeanor in the First Degree
- Cruelty specific to dogs § 4-8-5 |
Misdemeanor
|
$1,000
|
1 year
Back
|
Hawaii
§ 711-1109 et seq.
Cruelty to animals |
Misdemeanor
|
$2,000
|
1 year
Back
|
Idaho
§ 25-3501 et seq.
Committing cruelty to animals |
Misdemeanor
2nd offense
3rd offense
|
$5,000 for 1st offense
$7,000
$9,000
|
6 months
Back
9 months
1 year
|
|
Illinois
§ 510 ILCS 70/1 et seq.
.301
Cruel treatment
Aggravated Cruelty
- Illinois statutes contain second and third offense provisions, a
second offense is a Class B Misdemeanor and a third offense is a Class C
Misdemeanor
|
Class C Misdemeanor
Class A Misdemeanor
|
$500
$1,000
|
30 days
Back
1 year
|
|
Indiana
§ 35-46-3-1 et seq.
Torturing or killing vertebrate animal
Abandonment or neglect of vertebrate animals
|
Class A Misdemeanor
Class B Misdemeanor
|
$5,000
$1,000
|
1 year
Back
180 days
|
|
Iowa
§ 717B et seq.
Animal abuse
Animal neglect
- negligently
Animal neglect
- intentionally
Abandonment of a cat or dog
|
Aggravated Misdemeanor
Simple Misdemeanor
Serious Misdemeanor
Simple Misdemeanor
|
$5,000
$100
$1,500
$100
|
2 years
Back
30 days
1 year
30 days
|
Kansas
§ 21-4310 et seq.
Cruelty to animals |
Class B Nonperson Misdemeanor |
$1,000 |
Back
6 months |
Kentucky
§ 525.125 et seq.*
Cruelty to animals in the second degree |
Class A Misdemeanor
|
$500
|
1 year
Back
|
|
Louisiana
§ 14:102 et seq.
Simple cruelty to animals or abandonment
Aggravated cruelty to animals
- § 14-2 defines any sentence containing "hard labor"
|
Defined in statute
Defined in statute
|
$1,000
$25,000
|
6 months
Back
10 years
|
|
Maine
17 § 1031 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
Cruelty to birds
- Maine has both criminal and civil statutes concerning animal cruelty -
the penalty for civil violation (7 § 4011) is a fine of up to $1,000
and other relief to the animal as needed
|
Class D Crime
Class E Crime
|
S2,000
$1,000
|
1 year
Back
6 months
|
|
Maryland
Art. 27, § 59 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
Intentional mutilation or cruel killing
Abandonment
Injuring of a race horse
|
Misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
Felony
|
$1,000
$5,000
$100
|
90 days
Back
3 years
3 years
|
|
Massachusetts
272 § 77 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
Malicious killing or injury (266 § 122) - 24 § 1
defines a crime punishable by death or imprisonment in the state prison
as a felony.
All other crimes are misdemeanors
|
Defined in statute
Defined in statute
|
$1,000
$1,000
|
1 year
1 year in jail or 5 years in state penitentiary
Back
|
|
Michigan
§ 28.245 et seq.
General cruelty to animals
Malicious cruelty to animals
|
Misdemeanor
Felony
|
$1,000
$5,000
|
93 days
4 years
Back
|
|
Minnesota
§ 343.20 et seq.
Poisoning animals
Overworking or mistreating animals,
Cruelty in transportation
- Minnesota statutes contain a second and subsequent offense provision,
a violation is a Gross Misdemeanor
- § 346.37 subd. 6 requires veterinarians to report cruelty
|
Gross Misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
|
$3,000
$700
|
1 year
90 days
Back
|
|
Mississippi
§ 97-41-1 et seq.
Living creatures not to be cruelly treated, Carrying creature in a cruel
manner, Confining creatures without food or water, Failure of owner to
provide sustenance
Malicious or mischievous injury to livestock
Malicious or mischievous injury to dog
Poisons: administering to animals
|
Misdemeanor
Felony
Misdemeanor
Defined in statute
|
$100
$10,000
$1,000
$500
|
100 days
Back
5 years
6 months
3 years in State
|
|
Missouri
§ 578.005 et seq.
Animal neglect
Animal abuse
Animal abuse as a result of torture and mutilation
- Missouri statutes contain second and subsequent offense provisions for
animal neglect, a violation is a Class B Misdemeanor
|
Class C Misdemeanor
(All fines and penalties for first conviction of animal neglect may be
waived if remedies for neglect have been made)
Class A Misdemeanor
Class D Felony
|
$300
$1,000
$5,000
|
15 days
1 year
5 years
Back
|
|
Montana
§ 45-8-209
Cruelty to animals
Injure or kill a commonly domesticated hoofed animal
- Montana statutes contain a second and subsequent offense provisions, a
violation is punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000 or a state prison
term not to exceed 2 years, or both
|
defined in statute
Defined in statute
|
$500
$50,000
|
6 months
10 years
Back
|
Nebraska
§ 28-1008 et seq.**
Cruelty to animals
- Nebraska statutes contain a subsequent offense provision, a violation
is a Class I Misdemeanor |
Class II Misdemeanor
|
$1,000
|
6 months
Back
|
|
Nevada
§ 574.050 et seq.
Overdriving, torturing, selling diseased animal, injuring or abandoning
animals; failure to provide proper sustenance, keeping animal in
unhealthy place
Poisoning, noxious drug, or substance
|
Misdemeanor
Gross Misdemeanor
|
$1,000
$2,000
|
6 months
1 year
Back
|
|
New Hampshire
§ 644:8 et seq
Cruelty to animals
Cruelly whips, tortures or mutilates any animal
- New Hampshire statutes contain a second and subsequent offense
provision for general cruelty, a violation is a Class B Felony
|
Misdemeanor
Class B Felony
|
$2,000
$6,000
|
1 year
6 years
Back
|
New Jersey
§ 4:22-15 et seq.
Cruelty in general, overdrive torture, mutilate, kill, failure to
provide proper sustenance
- New Jersey statutes provide for civil remedies also |
Disorderly Person
|
$1,000
|
6 months
Back
|
|
New Mexico
§ 30-18-1 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
Injury to animals
Malicious slaughter of a canine
|
Petty Misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
|
$500
$1,000
$2,500
|
Back
6 months
1 year
1 year
|
New York
AG&M § 350 et seq.**
General cruelty |
Misdemeanor
|
$1,000
|
1 year
Back
|
|
North Carolina
§ 14-360 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
Abandonment
- Civil relief provided in § 19A-1
|
Class 1 Misdemeanor
Class 2 Misdemeanor
|
$1,500
$1,000
|
2 years
Back
2 years
|
North Dakota
§ 36-21.1-01 et seq.
Overworking or mistreating animals |
Class A Misdemeanor |
$1,000 |
1 year
Back
|
|
Ohio
§ 959.01 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
Abandoning animals
Injuring animals
- value of animal less than $300
- value of animal more than $300
Poisoning animals
- Officer or agent of Ohio Humane Society may remove a child if deemed
to be in cruel surroundings
|
Misdemeanor in the 2nd degree
Minor Misdemeanor
Misdemeanor in the 2nd degree
Misdemeanor in the 4th degree
|
$750
$100
$750
$1,000
$250
|
90 days
90 days
6 months
30 days
Back
|
|
Oklahoma
21 § 1680 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
Transit, abandon, poison
- 21 § 5 defines a felony as a crime which is, or may be, punishable
with death, or by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary
|
Defined in statute
Misdemeanor
|
$500
$500
|
5 years in penitentiary or 1 year in jail
1 year
Back
|
|
Oregon
§ 167.310 et seq.
Animal abuse in the first degree
Animal abuse in the second degree
Animal neglect in the first degree
Animal neglect in the second degree
Animal abandonment
Aggravated animal abuse in the first degree
|
Class A Misdemeanor
Class B Misdemeanor
Class A Misdemeanor
Class B Misdemeanor
Class C Misdemeanor
Class C Felony
|
$5,000
$2,000
$5,000
$2,000
$1,000
$100,000
|
Back
1 year
6 months
1 year
6 months
30 days
5 years
|
|
Pennsylvania
18 § 5511**
Cruelty to animals
Killing, maiming or poisoning a domestic animal
|
Summary Offense
Second Degree Misdemeanor
|
$750
$1,000
|
90 days
2 years
Back
|
|
Rhode Island
§ 4-1-1 et seq.
Overwork of, mistreatment of, or failure to feed animals, abandonment of
infirm animals
Unnecessary cruelty
Malicious injury or killing of animals
|
Misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
Defined in statute
|
$500
$500
$1,000
|
11 months
11 months
2 years
Back
|
|
South Carolina
§ 47-1-10 et seq.
Ill-treatment of animals, animal neglect
Abandonment of animals
Tortures, torments, needlessly mutilates, cruelly
kills or inflicts excessive or repeated unnecessary pain
Malicious injury to animals and other personal
property Felony
- South Carolina statutes contain second and third offense provisions
for ill treatment, penalties for violations range up to 2 years in jail
and $2,000 fine
|
Class A 1st offense
Class B Misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
Misdemeanor to Felony
|
$400
$500
$5,000
Discretion of the court
|
60 days
Back
60 days
2 years
10 years
|
South Dakota
§ 40-1-1 et seq.
Inhumane treatment, poison an animal |
Class 1 Misdemeanor
|
$1,000
|
1 year
Back
|
|
Tennessee
§ 39-14-201 et seq.**
Cruelty to animals
Intentional killing of animal
|
Class A Misdemeanor
Considered theft (ranges from Class A Misdemeanor to
Class B Felony)
|
$2,500
$2500 to $300,000
|
11 months, 29 days
11 months to 12 years
Back
|
Texas
Penal § 42.09
Cruelty to animals
Also provide civil remedies Title 7, Article 182 |
Class A Misdemeanor
|
$4,000
|
1 year
Back
|
|
Utah
§ 76-9-301 et seq.
Intentionally or knowingly kills, poisons or tortures
Recklessly kills, poisons or tortures
Kills, poisons or tortures with crimjnal negligence
Intentionally or knowingly fails to provide food,
water shelter; abandons animal; transports or confines in a cruel
manner; injures animal
Recklessly or with criminal negligence as above
A prior conviction allows for increased penalties
|
Class A Misdemeanor
Class B Misdemeanor
Class C Misdemeanor
Class B Misdemeanor
Class C Misdemeanor
Class C to B
Class B to A
|
$2,500
$1,000
$750
$1,000
$750
|
1 year
6 months
90 days
6 months
90 days
Back
|
|
Vermont
13 § 351 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
|
Defined in statute
|
$2,000
|
1 year
Back
|
|
Virginia
§ 3.1-796.122
Cruelty to animals
Abandonment
|
Class 1 Misdemeanor
Class 3 Misdemeanor
|
$2,500
$500
|
12 months
Back
none
|
|
Washington
§ 16.52.011 et seq.
Animal cruelty in the first degree
Animal cruelty in the second degree
Poisoning animals
|
Class C Felony
Misdemeanor
Gross Misdemeanor
|
$10,000
$1,000
$1,000
|
5 years
Back
90 days
2 years probation
|
|
West Virginia
§ 61-8-19 et seq.
Cruelty to animals
Malicious killing of animals by poison or otherwise
- value of animal over $100
- value of animal under $100
- West Virginia statutes contain second and subsequent offense
provisions, a violation is a Misdemeanor and requires the defendant to
undergo psychological evaluation
- § 7-10-4A requires veterinarians to report cruelty and neglect
|
Misdemeanor
Felony Misdemeanor
|
$1,000
$500
|
6 months
Back
3 months
|
|
Wisconsin
§ 951.01 et seq.
Mistreating animals, Not providing proper shelter, Animals neglected or
abandoned
Intentional cruelty resulting in mutilation,
disfigurement or death
|
Class C Forfeiture to Class A Misdemeanor
Class E Felony
|
$500 to $10,000
$10,000
|
None to 9 months
Back
2 years
|
|
Wyoming
§ 6-3-203, § 11-31-104
Cruelty to animals
Poisoning or killing with ground glass
- Wyoming statutes contain a second offense provision, a violation is a
High Misdemeanor
|
Misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
|
$750
$1,000
|
6 months
Back
1 year
|
|
