Cruelty to Animals

A person commits cruelty to animals if they overwork, torment, unnecessarily beat, allow to be housed in a way that results in serious physical harm, carry in a vehicle in a reckless manner, engage in sex with an animal, mistreat or neglect any animal, fail to provide proper food, drink, or protection from the weather, or abandon an animal. Any person who intentionally abandons a dog or cat commits the offense of cruelty to animals.

Cruelty to animals may either be a misdemeanor or felony level offense based on the factual basis of the alleged crime and whether or not the offense is aggravated.