(a) A person commits the crime of cruelty to a dog or cat in the first degree if he or she intentionally tortures any dog or cat or skins a domestic dog or cat or offers for sale or exchange or offers to buy or exchange the fur, hide, or pelt of a domestic dog or cat. Cruelty to a dog or cat in the first degree is a Class C felony. A conviction for a felony pursuant to this section shall not be considered a felony for purposes of the Habitual Felony Offender Act, Sections 13A-5-9 to docket sheets, etc” class=”unlinked-ref” datatype=”S” sessionyear=”2020″ statecd=”AL” title=”13A”>13A-5-10.1, inclusive.

Attorney's Note

Under the Alabama Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class C felony1 to 10 yearsup to $15,000
Class A misdemeanorup to 1 yearup to $6,000
For details, see Ala. Code § 13A-5-6 and Ala. Code § 13A-5-7
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Terms Used In Alabama Code 13A-11-241

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • cruel: as used in this article shall mean: Every act, omission, or neglect, including abandonment, where unnecessary or unjustifiable pain or suffering, including abandonment, is caused or where unnecessary pain or suffering is allowed to continue. See Alabama Code 13A-11-240
  • Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
  • dog or cat: as used in this article shall mean any domesticated member of the dog or cat family. See Alabama Code 13A-11-240
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(b) A person commits the crime of cruelty to a dog or cat in the second degree if he or she, in a cruel manner, overloads, overdrives, deprives of necessary sustenance or shelter, unnecessarily or cruelly beats, injuries, mutilates, or causes the same to be done. Cruelty to a dog or cat in the second degree is a Class A misdemeanor.
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