Animal Cruelty in Douglas County

Many different acts can lead to allegations of animal cruelty in Douglas County, Colorado. Mistreatment, neglect, and abuse are all terms that seem to hover around this charge. However, we often see defendants falsely accused by a neighbor who misunderstood the situation or where an animal is sick or injured from other causes. Temperature extremes in Colorado can also play a part when animals are left in especially hot or cold locations. If you or someone you know is being accused of animal cruelty in Douglas, Elbert, or Arapahoe County, contacting an experienced criminal defense attorney is a vital step.

Douglas County Cruelty to Animals Law

Douglas County’s cruelty to animals law prohibits purposeful, reckless, or negligent abuse of an animal or pet. CRS 18-9-202 provides the specific details of this charge throughout Colorado. Police will often pursue charges if they believe you:

knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence,
- mistreated, neglected, abandoned, overdrove, overloaded, overworked, tormented, deprived, or beat an animal,
- housed in a way that resulted in physical harm,
- carried or confined in a vehicle in a cruel or reckless manner,
- or engaged in a sex act with an animal

Withholding food and water, intentionally leaving a pet in the woods, and traveling on the interstate with a dog loose in your truck bed are other examples that could lead to animal cruelty charges.

How Bad is Animal Cruelty in Castle Rock?

All animal cruelty cases are different. Cruelty to animals in Colorado is at minimum a class 1 misdemeanor. A conviction in these situations can lead to:

a county jail sentence of 6 – 18 months,
fines of $500 – $5,000,
treatment programs

However, a second or subsequent conviction or acts of aggravated animal cruelty (torture or needless mutilation or death) are a felony offense in Colorado. Consequences in these cases escalate to a prison sentence of 1 – 3 years, fines of $1K – $100K, and a no pet court order for 3 to 5 years.

Cruelty to Animals Lawyer in Castle Rock

Securing a criminal lawyer early on has many benefits and often leads to a better outcome. Perhaps the animal was injured in an accident, there’s no factual basis that cruelty occurred, or you were attacked by the animal and defended yourself. That said, contact our office today for a free, confidential consultation. Our experienced defense attorneys will carefully look through your case and suggest next steps in your defense. With affordable fees and flexible payment plans, Sawyer Legal Group should be your first call if accused of abusing an animal in Colorado.