Nebraska Statutes 28-1009. Abandonment; cruel neglect; harassment of a police animal; penalty
(1) A person who intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly abandons or cruelly neglects an animal is guilty of a Class I misdemeanor unless the abandonment or cruel neglect results in serious injury or illness or death of the animal, in which case it is a Class IV felony.
Attorney's Note
Under the Nebraska Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class IIIA felony | up to 3 years | up to $10,000 |
| Class IV felony | up to 2 years | up to $10,000 |
| Class I misdemeanor | up to 1 year | up to $1,000 |
| Class IV misdemeanor | up to $500 |
Terms Used In Nebraska Statutes 28-1009
- Person: shall include bodies politic and corporate, societies, communities, the public generally, individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, joint-stock companies, and associations. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
(2)(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) of this subsection, a person who cruelly mistreats an animal is guilty of a Class I misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class IIIA felony for any subsequent offense.
(b) A person who cruelly mistreats an animal is guilty of a Class IIIA felony if such cruel mistreatment involves the knowing and intentional torture, repeated beating, or mutilation of the animal.
(3) A person commits harassment of a police animal if he or she knowingly and intentionally teases or harasses a police animal in order to distract, agitate, or harm the police animal for the purpose of preventing such animal from performing its legitimate official duties. Harassment of a police animal is a Class IV misdemeanor unless the harassment is the proximate cause of the death of the police animal, in which case it is a Class IIIA felony.
(4) A person convicted of a Class I misdemeanor under this section may also be subject to section 28-1019. A person convicted of a felony under this section shall also be subject to section 28-1019.