West Virginia Code § 61-8-19

Cruelty to animals; penalties; exclusions
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(a)(1) It is unlawful for any person to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly,
(A) Mistreat an animal in cruel manner;
(B) Abandon an animal;
(C) Withhold;
(i) Proper sustenance, including food or water;
(ii) Shelter that protects from the elements of weather; or
(iii) Medical treatment, necessary to sustain normal health and fitness or to end the suffering
of any animal;
(D) Abandon an animal to die;
(E) Leave an animal unattended and confined in a motor vehicle when physical injury to or
death of the animal is likely to result;
(F) Ride an animal when it is physically unfit;
(G) Bait or harass an animal for the purpose of making it perform for a person's amusement;
(H) Cruelly chain or tether an animal; or
(I) Use, train or poss ess a domesticated animal for the purpose of seizing, detaining or
maltreating aVny other domesticated animal.
(2) Any person in violation of subdivision (1) of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor
and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $300 nor more than $2,000 or
confined in jail not more than six months, or both.
(b) A person who intentionally tortures, or mutilates or maliciously kills an animal, or causes,
procures or authorizes any other person to torture, mutilate or maliciously kill an animal, is
guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in a correctional facility not
less than one nor more than five years and be fined not less than $1,000 nor more than
$5,000. For the purposes of this subsection, "torture" means an action taken for the primary
purpose of inflicting pain.
(c) A person, other than a licensed veterinarian or a person acting under the direction or
with the approval of a licensed veterinarian, who knowingly and willfully administers or
causes to be administered to any animal participating in any contest any controlled
substance or any other drug for the purpose of altering or otherwise affecting said animal's
performance is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less
than $500 nor more than $2,000.
(d) Any person convicted of a violation of this section forfeits his or her interest in any
animal and all interest in the animal vests in the humane society or county pound of the
county in which the conviction was rendered and the person is, in addition to any fine
imposed, liable for any costs incurred or to be incurred by the humane society or county
pound as a result. e
(e) For the purpose of this section, the term "controlled substance" has the same meaning
ascribed to it by subsection (d), section one hundred one, article one, chapter sixty-a of this
code. u
(f) The provisions of this section do not apply to lawful acts of hunting, fishing, trapping or
animal training or farm livestock, poultry, gaming fowl or wildlife kept in private or licensed
game farms if kept and maintained according to usual aand accepted standards of livestock,
poultry, gaming fowl or wildlife or game farm production and management, nor to humane
use of animals or activities regulated under and in lconformity with the provisions of 7 U.S.C.
§2131, et seq., and the regulations promulgatesd thereunder, as both statutes and regulations
are in effect on the effective date of this section.
(g) Notwithstanding the provisions ogf subsection (a) of this section, any person convicted of a
second or subsequent violation of subsection (a) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, shall be
confined in jail for a period of not less than ninety days nor more than one year, fined not
less than $500 nor more than $3,000, or both. The incarceration set forth in this subsection
is mandatory unless the provisions of subsection (h) of this section are complied with.
(h)(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, no person who has been
convicted of a violation of the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) of this section may be
granted probation until the defendant has undergone a complete psychiatric or
psychological evaluation and the court has reviewed the evaluation. Unless the defendant is
detWermined by the court to be indigent, he or she is responsible for the cost of the
evaluation.
(2) For any person convicted of a violation of subsection (a) or (b) of this section, the court
may, in addition to the penalties provided in this section, impose a requirement that he or
she complete a program of anger management intervention for perpetrators of animal
cruelty. Unless the defendant is determined by the court to be indigent, he or she is
responsible for the cost of the program.
(i) In addition to any other penalty which can be imposed for a violation of this section, a
court shall prohibit any person so convicted from possessing, owning or residing with any
animal or type of animal for a period of five years following entry of a misdemeanor
conviction and fifteen years following entry of a felony conviction. A violation under this
subsection is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $2,000 and forfeiture of the
animal.

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