This matrix will allow you to quickly see whether or not your state has felony statutes in place for cruelty to animals. Click on the table header to re-sort the matrix.
There are 2 states without felony provisions for cruelty to animals: North Dakota, and South Dakota. This list was last updated on Nov 23, 2012.
information about fields used in this chart
| Felony: | Whether there are felony provisions for animal cruelty in the specified state. |
| Year: | Year the felony law was enacted, if applicable. |
| Max. Jail: | Maximum amount of jail time allowable by law under the felony provisions. |
| Max. Fine: | Maximum fine allowable by law. |
| Counseling: | Whether state law allows mandatory counseling to be ordered as part of sentencing. |
| Ban: | Whether state law allows for a temporary or permanent ban on animal ownership as part of sentencing. |
| PPO: | Whether state law can include animals in protection orders (pet protective orders). |
| STATE | FELONY | YEAR | MAX. JAIL | MAX. FINE | COUNSELING | BAN | PPO | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado |  | 2002 | 6 years | $500,000 | | | | Includes all animals. Senate Bill 187: provides for mandatory reporting of animal cruelty by veterinarians House Bill 1235: specifically makes it illegal for someone to engage in a sexual act with an animal; adds crimes against an animal as a form of domestic violence; allows judges to make an animal part of a protection order (as protected property); makes it mandatory for offenders convicted of felony animal cruelty to submit to genetic testing |
| Delaware | | 1994 | 3 years | $5,000 |  | | | Includes all animals |
| Maine | | 2001 | 5 years | $10,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Maryland | | 2001 | 3 years | $5,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Michigan | | 1931 | 4 years | $5,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Minnesota | | 2001 | 4 years | $10,000 | | | | Felony only on cruelty to a pet |
| Montana | | 1993 | 2 years | $2,500 | | | | |
| New Hampshire | | 1994 | 7 years | $4,000 | | | | |
| New York | | 1999 | 2 years | $5,000 | | | | Felony applies only to cats, dogs and companion animals |
| Tennessee | | 2001 | 9 months | | | | Includes all pets, and includes failure to provide food/water with substantial risk of danger or death | |
| Vermont | | 1998 | 5 years | $7,500 | | | | Felony applies to acts of aggravated cruelty to all animals; any sentence less than 2 years is a misdemeanor. Defendant may have forfeited the right to ever own animals again. |
| Virginia | | 1999 | 5 years | $2,500 | | | | Dog or cat for felony on the first offense. All other animals if 2nd offense. The animal must die as a result of his/her injuries |
| West Virgnia | | 2003 | 5 years | $5,000 | | | | All animals included in felony; §61-8-19 - a court shall prohibit convicted from owning or residing with any animal for 5 years if misdemeanor and 15 |
| Wyoming | | 2003 | 2 years | $5,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Alabama | | 2000 | 10 years | $5,000 | | | | Felony only applies to cats and dogs |
| Alaska | | 1 years | $10,000 | | | | ||
| Arizona | | 1999 | 1 years | $150,000 | | | | All animals. Class 6 felony on first offense. |
| Arkansas | | 1 years | $1,000 | | | | ||
| California | | 1988 | 3 years | $20,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Connecticut | | 1996 | 5 years | $5,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| D.C. | | 2001 | 5 years | $25,000 | | | | Includes all animals except rats, bats or snakes |
| Florida | | 1989 | 5 years | $10,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Georgia | | 2000 | 5 years | $15,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Hawaii | | 2007 | 5 years | $10,000 | | | | Misdemeanor includes all animals except insects, vermin or pests |
| Idaho | | 2012 | 15 years | $9,000 | | | | Third animal cruelty conviction in 15 years a felony. Felony to organize cockfighting events accompanied by drugs and gambling. |
| Illinois | | 1999 | 5 years | $50,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Indiana | | 1998 | 3 years | $10,000 | | | | includes all animals |
| Iowa | | 2000 | 5 years | $75,000 | | | | Does not apply to any livestock, game, furbearing animal, fish, reptile, or amphibian. |
| Kansas | | 2006 | 1 years | $5,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Kentucky | | 2003 | 5 years | $10,000 | | | | Felony only applies to cats and dogs |
| Louisiana | | 1995 | 10 years | $25,000 | | | | Includes all animals except chickens |
| Massachusetts | | 1804 | 5 years | $2,500 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Mississippi | | 2011 | 1 year | $5,000 | | | | Felony for livestock. Aggravated cruelty to dogs and cats a felony on the second offense. |
| Missouri | | 1994 | 5 years | $5,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Nebraska | | 2002 | 5 years | $10,000 | | | | Includes all animals in captivity |
| Nevada | | 1999 | 5 years | $10,000 | | | | Includes all animals - exceptions for rodeos and ranching |
| New Jersey | | 2001 | 5 years | $15,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| New Mexico | | 1999 | 18 months | $5,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| North Carolina | | 1998 | 6 months | $1,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| North Dakota | | 1 years | $2,000 | | | | ||
| Ohio | | 2002 | 1 years | $2,000 | | | | Felony only applies to companion animals, and only on second offense |
| Oklahoma | | 1887 | 5 years | $5,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Oregon | | 1995 | 5 years | $100,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Pennsylvania | | 1995 | 7 years | $15,000 | | | | Felony applies only to zoo animals on the first offense, and cats and dogs on the second offense, based on deliberate cruelty |
| Rhode Island | | 1896 | 2 years | $1,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| South Carolina | | 2000 | 5 years | $5,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| South Dakota | | 1 years | $1,000 | | | | Felony provisions for bestiality only | |
| Texas | | 1997 | 2 years | $10,000 | | | | All animals that are your own; State Jail felony on the first offense of most egregious, 3rd degree felony on second. It is not illegal to kill one's own animal, no matter how cruelly or by what means |
| Utah | | 1 years | $5,000 | | | | ||
| Washington | | 1994 | 5 years | $10,000 | | | | Includes all animals |
| Wisconsin | | 1986 | 5 years | $10,000 | | | |