(a) Any person licensed or registered under this chapter who fails to provide animals under the person's care or custody with adequate food or adequate water, as defined in section 3901 of this title, or who fails to house animals in the person's care or custody in a manner that is adequate for their welfare shall be fined not more than $500.00.

(b) Any person who operates a fair or public auction or who transacts business as a pet shop, animal shelter, or rescue organization without being duly licensed or without possessing a proper certificate of registration, as the case may be, as required under this chapter, or who violates any provision of this chapter or of any rule lawfully adopted under its authority for which no other penalty is provided shall be fined not more than $300.00 or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.

(c) The Secretary may assess administrative penalties under 6 V.S.A. §§ 15-17, not to exceed $1,000.00, for violations of this chapter. (Added 1971, No. 27, § 5, eff. March 24, 1971; amended 1993, No. 51, § 4; 1997, No. 130 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2009, No. 158 (Adj. Sess.), § 14; 2013, No. 30, § 6.)