Saturday, December 4, 2010

Nevadas Animal Cruelty Law




574.120. Failure to provide proper air, food, shelter or water to impounded animal unlawful; penalties

1. A person who has impounded or confined any animal shall not refuse or neglect to supply to the animal during its confinement a sufficient supply of good and wholesome air, food, shelter and water.

2. A person who violates subsection 1:

(a) For the first offense within the immediately preceding 7 years, is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be sentenced to:

(1) Imprisonment in the city or county jail or detention facility for not less than 2 days, but not more than 6 months; and

(2) Perform not less than 48 hours, but not more than 120 hours, of community service.

The person shall be further punished by a fine of not less than $200, but not more than $1,000. A term of imprisonment imposed pursuant to this paragraph may be served intermittently at the discretion of the judge or justice of the peace, except that each period of confinement must be not less than 4 consecutive hours and must occur at a time when the person is not required to be at his place of employment or on a weekend.

(b) For the second offense within the immediately preceding 7 years, is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be sentenced to:

(1) Imprisonment in the city or county jail or detention facility for not less than 10 days, but not more than 6 months; and

(2) Perform not less than 100 hours, but not more than 200 hours, of community service.

The person shall be further punished by a fine of not less than $500, but not more than $1,000.

(c) For the third and any subsequent offense within the immediately preceding 7 years, is guilty of a category C felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.

3. In addition to any other fine or penalty provided in subsection 2, a court shall order a person convicted of violating subsection 1 to pay restitution for all costs associated with the care and impoundment of any mistreated animal under subsection 1, including, without limitation, money expended for veterinary treatment, feed and housing.

4. If any animal is at any time impounded as provided in subsection 1, and continues to be without necessary food and water for more than 12 successive hours, any person may, as often as it is necessary, enter into and upon any pound in which the animal is so confined and supply it with necessary food and water, so long as it remains so confined. Such a person is not liable to any action for such entry, and the reasonable cost of such food and water may be collected by him from the owner of the animal, and the animal is not exempt from levy and sale upon execution issued upon a judgment therefor.

Amended by Laws 2001, c. 572, § 5, eff. June 13, 2001.

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