Cruelty to Animals Lawyer in Weld County
In the Weld County area, you can be charged for Cruelty to Animals for leaving your dog in a hot car. Animal Control can arrest you if it appears that your pet is not well fed or is outside in extreme weather too long – hot or cold, snowy or rainy. If you're being accused for Cruelty to Animals, contact the defense lawyers at O'Malley Law Office.
Greeley Animal Cruelty Definition: Animal Abuse in Court
In Greeley, Cruelty to Animals - C.R.S. 18-9-202 - is charged when:
- overdrives
- overloads
- overworks
- torments
- deprives of necessary sustenance
- unnecessarily or cruelly beats
- allows to be housed in a manner that results in chronic or repeated serious physical harm
- carries or confines in or upon any vehicles in a cruel or reckless manner
- engages in a sexual act with an animal
- otherwise mistreats or neglects any animal
- causes or procures it to be done
- having the charge or custody of any animal, fails to provide it with proper food, drink, or protection from the weather consistent with the species, breed, and type of animal involved
- abandons an animal
(1.5) (a) A person commits cruelty to animals if he or she recklessly or with criminal negligence tortures, needlessly mutilates, or needlessly kills an animal.
(b) A person commits aggravated cruelty to animals if he or she knowingly tortures, needlessly mutilates, or needlessly kills an animal.
Sentence / Punishment for Cruelty to Animals in Morgan County
In Morgan County, Logan County, and Weld County, Cruelty to Animals is a class 1 misdemeanor. If you are charged with this, it might also be mandatory to complete an anger management class, or other treatment deemed necessary by the court. If the crime is Aggravated Cruelty to an Animal, it is charged as a class 6 felony. It can be charged as a class 5 felony if it is a second or subsequent conviction for Cruelty to Animals. Notice that there is a small difference between the misdemeanor and felony charge: whether the government says you acted recklessly or with criminal negligence vs. acting “knowingly.”
For a class 1 misdemeanor charge, a person faces between 6 and 18 months in Weld County Jail in addition to a fine of at least $500, but up to $5,000. There is also the potential for both the Morgan County Jail time and fine to both be required. A class 6 felony requires between 1 year and 18 months in Colorado Department of Corrects, with a minimum fine of $1,000 (but a maximum of $100,000), and a year of probation. A class 5 felony is similar as it requires between 1 and 3 years in prison, a 2 year probation period, and the same amount in fines.
If You're Being Charged with Cruelty to Animals, Remember:
- Do not allow Animal Control into your home or onto your property. They are required to have a warrant to search your home and property.
- Do not give any type of statement to them. Do not talk to them. They are not trying to help you. They will not give you the benefit of the doubt.
- As soon as you are contacted by Animal Control or by the police, call our experienced defense attorneys to fight for you and your pet.
- The government often takes your animal and will charge you high daily fees to care for it.