Minnesota
Anti-Cruelty StatutesMINNESOTA
STATUTES POLICE REGULATIONS CHAPTER 343. PREVENTION OF CRUELTY CRUELTY
TO ANIMALS
343.20
Definitions Subdivision
1. Application. Except as otherwise indicated by the context, for purposes of
sections 343.20 to 343.36, the terms defined in this section have the meanings
given them. Subd.
2. Animal. "Animal" means every living creature except members of the
human race. Subd.
3. Torture; cruelty. "Torture" or "cruelty" means every act,
omission, or neglect which causes or permits unnecessary or unjustifiable pain,
suffering, or death. Subd.
4. Impure milk. "Impure and unwholesome milk" means all milk obtained
from diseased or unhealthy animals, or from animals fed on any substance which
is putrefied or fermented. Subd.
5. Animal control officer. "Animal control officer" means an officer
employed by or under contract with an agency of the state, county, municipality,
or other governmental subdivision of the state which is responsible for animal
control operations in its jurisdiction. Subd.
6. Pet or companion animal. "Pet or companion animal" includes any animal
owned, possessed by, cared for, or controlled by a person for the present or future
enjoyment of that person or another as a pet or companion, or any stray pet or
stray companion animal. Subd.
7. Service animal. "Service animal" means an animal trained to assist
a person with a disability. Subd.
8. Substantial bodily harm. "Substantial bodily harm" means bodily injury
which involves a temporary but substantial disfigurement, or which causes a temporary
but substantial loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ,
or which causes a fracture of any bodily member to a service animal or a pet or
companion animal. Subd.
9. Great bodily harm. "Great bodily harm" means bodily injury which
creates a high probability of death, or which causes serious permanent disfigurement,
or which causes a permanent or protracted loss or impairment of the function of
any bodily member or organ, or other serious bodily harm to a service animal or
a pet or companion animal. 343.21
Overworking or mistreating animals; penalty
Subdivision
1. Torture. No person shall overdrive, overload, torture, cruelly beat, neglect,
or unjustifiably injure, maim, mutilate, or kill any animal, or cruelly work any
animal when it is unfit for labor, whether it belongs to that person or to another
person. Subd.
2. Nourishment; shelter. No person shall deprive any animal over which the person
has charge or control of necessary food, water, or shelter. Subd.
3. Enclosure. No person shall keep any cow or other animal in any enclosure without
providing wholesome exercise and change of air. Subd.
4. Low feed. No person shall feed any cow on food which produces impure or unwholesome
milk. Subd. 5.
Abandonment. No person shall abandon any animal. Subd.
6. Temporary abandonment. No person shall allow any maimed, sick, infirm, or disabled
animal to lie in any street, road, or other public place for more than three hours
after receiving notice of the animal's condition. Subd.
7. Cruelty. No person shall willfully instigate or in any way further any act
of cruelty to any animal or animals, or any act tending to produce cruelty to
animals. Subd.
8. Caging. No person shall cage any animal for public display purposes unless
the display cage is constructed of solid material on three sides to protect the
caged animal from the elements and unless the horizontal dimension of each side
of the cage is at least four times the length of the caged animal. The provisions
of this subdivision do not apply to the Minnesota state agricultural society,
the Minnesota state fair, or to the county agricultural societies, county fairs,
to any agricultural display of caged animals by any political subdivision of the
state of Minnesota, or to district, regional or national educational livestock
or poultry exhibitions. The provisions of this subdivision do not apply to captive
wildlife, the exhibition of which is regulated by section 97A.041. Subd.
8a. Harming a service animal. No person shall intentionally and without justification
cause bodily harm to a service animal while it is providing service or while it
is in the custody of the person it serves. Subd.
9. Penalty. - (a)
Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, a person who fails to comply
with any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor. A person convicted
of a second or subsequent violation of subdivision 1 or 7 within five years of
a previous violation of subdivision 1 or 7 is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
- (b)
A person who intentionally violates subdivision 1 or 7 where the violation results
in substantial bodily harm to a pet or companion animal may be sentenced to imprisonment
for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $ 3,000, or
both.
- (c)
A person convicted of violating paragraph (b) within five years of a previous
gross misdemeanor or felony conviction for violating this section may be sentenced
to imprisonment for not more than two years or to payment of a fine of not more
than $ 5,000, or both.
- (d)
A person who intentionally violates subdivision 1 or 7 where the violation results
in death or great bodily harm to a pet or companion animal may be sentenced to
imprisonment for not more than two years or to payment of a fine of not more than
$ 5,000, or both.
- (e)
A person who violates subdivision 8a where the violation results in substantial
bodily harm to a service animal may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more
than two years or to payment of a fine of not more than $ 5,000, or both.
- (f)
A person who intentionally violates subdivision 1 or 7 where the violation results
in substantial bodily harm to a pet or companion animal, and the act is done to
threaten, intimidate, or terrorize another person, may be sentenced to imprisonment
for not more than two years or to payment of a fine of not more than $ 5,000,
or both.
- (g)
A person who violates subdivision 8a where the violation results in death or great
bodily harm to a service animal may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more
than four years or to payment of a fine of not more than $ 10,000, or both.
- (h) A person
who intentionally violates subdivision 1 or 7 where the violation results in death
or great bodily harm to a pet or companion animal, and the act is done to threaten,
intimidate, or terrorize another person, may be sentenced to imprisonment for
not more than four years or to payment of a fine of not more than $ 10,000, or
both.
Subd.
10. Restrictions. If a person is convicted of violating this section, the court
shall require that pet or companion animals that have not been seized by a peace
officer or agent and are in the custody or control of the person must be turned
over to a peace officer or other appropriate officer or agent unless the court
determines that the person is able and fit to provide adequately for an animal.
If the evidence indicates lack of proper and reasonable care of an animal, the
burden is on the person to affirmatively demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence
that the person is able and fit to have custody of and provide adequately for
an animal. The court may limit the person's further possession or custody of pet
or companion animals, and may impose other conditions the court considers appropriate,
including, but not limited to: - (1)
imposing a probation period during which the person may not have ownership, custody,
or control of a pet or companion animal;
- (2)
requiring periodic visits of the person by an animal control officer or agent
appointed pursuant to section 343.01, subdivision 1;
- (3)
requiring performance by the person of community service; and
- (4)
requiring the person to receive psychological, behavioral, or other counseling.
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