(a) Whoever:
(1) willfully, or for any bet, stake, or reward, instigates or encourages any dog to attack, bite, wound or bait another dog, except in the course of protection of life or property;
(2) keeps any house, pit or other place, or provides any equipment or facilities to be used in permitting any fight between dogs;
(3) does any act or performs any service in the furtherance of, or to facilitate, any dogfight including promotion, refereeing, handling of dogs at a dogfight, transporting spectators to or from a dogfight, providing concessions at a dogfight, advertising a dogfight, or serving as a stake-holder of any money wagered on any dogfight; or
(4) owns, possesses, keeps, or trains any dog with the intent that such dog will be engaged in an exhibition of fighting with another dog shall be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than two (2) years and fined not less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) nor more than four thousand dollars ($4,000). However, any person who is knowingly present as a spectator at any place, building, or other site where preparations are being made for an exhibition of dogfighting with the intent to be present at such preparation or fight, or who is knowingly present at such exhibition shall be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than eighteen (18) months and fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for a first offense and imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, and fined not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) for any second or subsequent offense.
(b) Any peace officer who arrests a person under subsection (a) of this section may lawfully take possession of all equipment used for training, handling, or transporting a fighting dog and all equipment used to stage, promote or advertise a dogfight. Following a conviction under this section, the court entering the judgment shall order than any and all such equipment used in violation of this section be destroyed or forfeited to the Government of the Virgin Islands.
(c) Any peace officer making an arrest under this section shall lawfully take possession of any dog on the premises where the dogfight is alleged to have been staged or occurred and any dog kept on the premises of any person arrested under this section.
(1) When a peace officer takes possession of a dog under this subsection, the dog will be placed in the care of a humane society, animal shelter, court-approved licensed veterinarian, or a court-approved private housing facility under the supervision of a veterinarian, employee of the animal shelter, or officer of the humane society for boarding, treatment, or other care.
(2) The veterinarian, animal warden, or officer may humanely euthanize the dog that is in his opinion injured or diseased past recovery, or whose continued existence is inhumane and whose destruction is necessary to relieve pain or suffering. The owner of a dog destroyed under this subsection shall not be entitled to damages.
(3) If the veterinarian determines by means of physical examination or observation that the dog should be humanely euthanized due to lack of any useful purpose because of training or viciousness, a written request to destroy the dog shall be submitted to the court for approval. The court shall give notice to the dog's owner who shall have five (5) days in which to submit a written response. After five (5) days, upon a finding by the court that the dog lacks any useful purpose due to training or viciousness, it shall be within the authority of the veterinarian, animal warden, or officer of the humane society to humanely euthanize the dog when it is no longer needed as evidence.
(4) If the veterinarian determines by means of physical examination and observation that the dog has not been trained for aggressive conduct or if the court finds that the dog should not be humanely euthanized for reasons of training or viciousness, the dog shall be returned to its owner when the dog is no longer needed as evidence. The dog, however, may be subject to dangerous dog designation as provided under section 2615c of this chapter.
(5) All expenses incurred for treatment, boarding and other care of the dog, prior to the conviction of the owner, shall be assessed against the owner.