Animal abuse in the first degree

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  • Any person who maliciously or unnecessarily:
    • (a) kills any animal; or

    • (b) tortures, maims, mutilates, disfigures, wounds, or inflicts unjustifiable pain on any animal; or

    • (c) forces, causes or induces a minor to maliciously or unnecessarily kill, torture, maim, mutilate; maliciously disfigure, wound or inflict unjustifiable pain on any animal; or

    • (d) causes or permits the cropping of any animal's ears or the docking of any animal's tail by a person other than a licensed veterinarian; or

    • (e) uses or traps to use domestic dogs, cats or any other animal as bait, prey or target or other malicious activities, including for the purpose of, but not limited to, training dogs or other animals to fight, excluding adult, male fowl used for the sport of cockfighting; or

    • (f) administers any poison to an animal or exposes any poisonous substance with the intent that the substance be taken or swallowed by the animal shall, for each offense, be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment not exceeding two (2) years and fined not less than $2,000, but not exceeding $5,000.


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