Connecticut
Anti-Cruelty StatutesCONNECTICUT
GENERAL STATUTES
TITLE 53. CRIMES
CHAPTER 945. (OFFENSES AGAINST HUMANITY
AND MORALITY)
CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
§
53-247. Cruelty to animals. Fighting animals. Intentional killing of police animal.
(a) Any person who overdrives, drives when overloaded, overworks, tortures,
deprives of necessary sustenance, mutilates or cruelly beats or kills or unjustifiably
injures any animal, or who, having impounded or confined any animal, fails to
give such animal proper care or neglects to cage or restrain any such animal from
doing injury to itself or to another animal or fails to supply any such animal
with wholesome air, food and water, or unjustifiably administers any poisonous
or noxious drug or substance to any domestic animal or unjustifiably exposes any
such drug or substance, with intent that the same shall be taken by an animal,
or causes it to be done, or, having charge or custody of any animal, inflicts
cruelty upon it or fails to provide it with proper food, drink or protection from
the weather or abandons it or carries it or causes it to be carried in a cruel
manner, or fights with or baits, harasses or worries any animal for the purpose
of making it perform for amusement, diversion or exhibition, shall be fined not
more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year or both. (b)
Any person who maliciously and intentionally maims, mutilates, tortures, wounds
or kills an animal shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned
not more than five years or both. The provisions of this subsection shall not
apply to any licensed veterinarian while following accepted standards of practice
of the profession or to any person while following approved methods of slaughter
under section 22-272a, while performing medical research as an employee of, student
in or person associated with any hospital, educational institution or laboratory,
while following generally accepted agricultural practices or while lawfully engaged
in the taking of wildlife. (c) Any person who knowingly (1) owns, possesses,
keeps or trains an animal engaged in an exhibition of fighting for amusement or
gain, (2) possesses, keeps or trains an animal with the intent that it be engaged
in an exhibition of fighting for amusement or gain, (3) permits an act described
in subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection to take place on premises under his
control, (4) acts as judge or spectator at an exhibition of animal fighting for
amusement or gain, or (5) bets or wagers on the outcome of an exhibition of animal
fighting for amusement or gain, shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars
or imprisoned not more than five years or both. (d) Any person who intentionally
kills any animal while such animal is in the performance of its duties under the
supervision of a peace officer, as defined in section 53a-3, shall be fined not
more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years or both.
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