ANIMAL CRUELTY
To commit the crime of animal cruelty in the state , at least one of four elements of a crime must be committed. According to the Penal Code 4209, a person must "knowingly and intentionally" fail to provide:
- Food
- Water
- Shelter
- Reasonable Care
If a person knowingly and intentionally does any of the above four, it is a crime (misdemeanor) punishable up to $4000 and one year in jail. Under Reasonable Care, a crime has also been committed if a person:
- tortures
- abandons
- exports and/or confines
- kills or injures or poisons
- fights (causing them to)
- engages in live coursing
- Trips horses
- has earnings for animal fighting - even property owner could go to jail
- intentionally trains an animal for fighting purposes
In addition, if a person tries to tamper with and hide evidence of any crime, the charges are raised to a third degree felony with 5-10 years in jail. So if in an animal cruelty case, carcasses are hidden, burned, or otherwise disposed of, and this can be proven by the inspecting officer, a felony has taken place.
SHAME on you.IM SO darn dissapinted in you. the Animal Control has issued a citation to appear in court and has
removed your pets as an emergency precaution.
Lets hope you learn your lesson! The animals were readopted temporalily to a secret location to recover(the poor things) Do Not Forget to appear in court Saturday March 21, 2009 at 2:00 pm EST