§ 8-103. Aggravated cruelty to animals.

(a)

It shall be unlawful for anyone to knowingly commit an act of aggravated cruelty towards an animal or to aid or permit another person or animal to commit an act of aggravated cruelty upon an animal

(b)

For the purposes of this chapter, an act of aggravated cruelty shall include, but is not limited to:

(1)

Rendering a part of such animal's body useless;

(2)

Drowning, severely starving, severely dehydrating, strangling, suffocating, burying alive, or burning;

(3)

Attempting to kill, abuse, maim, disfigure, dismember, mutilate or torture any animal; or

(4)

Administering poison to any animal or exposing any animal to any poisonous or toxic/deadly substance.

(c)

Exceptions. The following shall not be deemed an act of cruelty towards an animal:

(1)

Licensed veterinarians who perform surgery or euthanasia and animal control officers who euthanize animals under the direction of county animal control per the guidelines of the state veterinary medical association, state department of agriculture and this chapter are not in violation of this chapter.

(2)

A person shall not be guilty of cruelty when the person is protecting his life, the life of another person or animal that is being attacked by an animal that is attempting to severely harm or kill him, provided that the person being attacked is not committing a crime or is not aggravating or inciting the animal to attack, and has not aggravated, injured, abused, or assaulted the animal in the past.

(Ord. No. 16-008 , 12-19-2016)