Cruelty to Animals is charged in Castle Rock and Douglas County when a person is deemed to have neglected or abused an animal or pet. Recently, a woman was charged with Cruelty to Animals and Aggravated Cruelty to Animals after police found 80 dead animals in the woman’s trailer. According to the news, 8 pets were alive in the home, 30 animal carcasses were found in the freezer and the rest were rotting inside the trailer. If this had occurred in Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, or Parker, the woman would likely be facing both felony and misdemeanor Animal Cruelty charges.

Douglas County Cruelty to Animals Lawyer: Definition of Animal Abuse

The Douglas County, Colorado law definition of Cruelty to Animals – C.R.S. 18-9-202 – is:

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A person commits cruelty to animals if he or she knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence overdrives, overloads, overworks, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance, unnecessarily or cruelly beats, allows to be housed in a manner that results in chronic or repeated serious physical harm, carries or confines in or upon any vehicles in a cruel or reckless manner, engages in a sexual act with an animal, or otherwise mistreats or neglects any animal, or causes or procures it to be done, or, having the charge or custody of any animal, fails to provide it with proper food, drink, or protection from the weather consistent with the species, breed, and type of animal involved, or abandons an animal.”

As a class 1 misdemeanor, Animal Cruelty is punishable by 6 to 18 months in the Douglas County Jail and up to $5,000 in fines. If the criminal charge for Animal Abuse is a second or subsequent offense – then it is a class 6 felony.

Aggravated Cruelty to Animals in Highlands Ranch and Castle Rock

Under C.R.S. 18-9-202(1.5)(b) – Aggravated Cruelty to Animals is defined as:

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A person commits aggravated cruelty to animals if he or she knowingly tortures, needlessly mutilates, or needlessly kills an animal.”

Because many of the animals found in the home were dead, she could be facing 80 counts of the Aggravated Animal Cruelty charges. In Highlands Ranch and Castle Rock, as a class 6 felony, this crime is punishable by 12 to 18 months in the Colorado Department of Corrections and up to $100,000 in fines.

If you or a loved one has been charged with Aggravated Animal Cruelty in Douglas County, Colorado, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley and Sawyer at 303-265-1950 today. Together, we can protect your future.

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