CHAPTER 951
CRIMES AGAINST ANIMALS
951.015 Construction and application.
951.02 Mistreating animals.
951.025 Decompression prohibited.
951.03 Dognapping and catnapping.
951.04 Leading animal from motor vehicle.
951.05 Transportation of animals.
951.06 Use of poisonous and controlled substances.
951.07 Use of certain devices prohibited.
951.08 Instigating fights between animals.
951.09 Shooting at caged or staked animals.
951.095 Harassment of police and fire animals.
951.10 Sale of baby rabbits, chicks and other fowl.
951.11 Artificially colored animals; sale.
951.13 Providing proper food and drink to confined animals.
951.14 Providing proper shelter.
951.15 Abandoning animals.
951.01
951.01
Definitions. In this chapter:
951.01(1)
(1) "Animal" includes every living:
951.01(1)(a)
(a) Warm-blooded creature, except a human being;
951.01(2)
(2) "Cruel" means causing unnecessary and excessive pain or suffering or unjustifiable injury or death.
951.01(3)
(3) "Farm animal" means any warm-blooded animal normally raised on farms in the United States and used or intended for use as food or fiber.
951.01(3f)
(3f) "Fire department" includes a volunteer fire department and a department under
s. 61.66.
951.01(4)
(4) "Law enforcement officer" has the meaning assigned under
s. 967.02 (5) but does not include a conservation warden appointed under
s. 23.10.
951.01 Annotation
Legislative Council Note, 1973: The definition of "animal" is based on s. 346.20, Minn. Stats. Anno. (1971). The term includes not only animals strictly so-called but birds and other living warmblooded creatures except people. [Bill 16-S]
951.015
951.015
Construction and application. This chapter may not be interpreted as controverting any law regulating the taking of a wild animal as defined in
s. 29.001 (90), the trapping of animals, the use of live animals in dog trials or in the training of hunting dogs or the slaughter of animals by persons acting under state or federal law.
951.015 History
History: 1973 c. 314;
1983 a. 27 s.
2202 (38);
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.015;
1997 a. 248.
951.02
951.02
Mistreating animals. No person may treat any animal, whether belonging to the person or another, in a cruel manner. This section does not prohibit bona fide experiments carried on for scientific research or normal and accepted veterinary practices.
951.02 History
History: 1973 c. 314;
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.02;
1993 a. 486.
951.02 Annotation
Conviction under this section does not require proof of intent or negligence. State v. Stanfield,
105 Wis. 2d 553,
314 N.W.2d 339 (1982).
951.025
951.025
Decompression prohibited. No person may kill an animal by means of decompression.
951.025 History
History: 1985 a. 48;
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.025.
951.03
951.03
Dognapping and catnapping. No person may take the dog or cat of another from one place to another without the owner's consent or cause such a dog or cat to be confined or carried out of this state or held for any purpose without the owner's consent. This section does not apply to law enforcement officers or humane officers engaged in the exercise of their official duties.
951.03 History
History: 1973 c. 314 s.
4; Stats. 1973 s. 948.03;
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.03;
1997 a. 192.
951.04
951.04
Leading animal from motor vehicle. No person shall lead any animal upon a highway from a motor vehicle or from a trailer or semitrailer drawn by a motor vehicle.
951.04 History
History: 1973 c. 314;
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.04.
951.05
951.05
Transportation of animals. No person may transport any animal in or upon any vehicle in a cruel manner.
951.05 History
History: 1973 c. 314;
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.05.
951.06
951.06
Use of poisonous and controlled substances. No person may expose any domestic animal owned by another to any known poisonous substance, any controlled substance included in schedule I, II, III, IV or V of
ch. 961, or any controlled substance analog of a controlled substance included in schedule I or II of
ch. 961, whether mixed with meat or other food or not, so that the substance is liable to be eaten by the animal and for the purpose of harming the animal. This section shall not apply to poison used on one's own premises and designed for the purpose of rodent or pest extermination nor to the use of a controlled substance in bona fide experiments carried on for scientific research or in accepted veterinary practices.
951.06 History
History: 1973 c. 314;
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.06;
1995 a. 448.
951.07
951.07
Use of certain devices prohibited. No person may directly or indirectly, or by aiding, abetting or permitting the doing thereof, either put, place, fasten, use or fix upon or to any animal used or readied for use for a work purpose or for use in an exhibition, competition, rodeo, circus or other performance, any of the following devices: a bristle bur, tack bur or like device; or a poling device used to train a horse to jump which is charged with electricity or to which have been affixed nails, tacks or other sharp points.
951.07 History
History: 1973 c. 314;
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.07.
951.08
951.08
Instigating fights between animals. 951.08(1)
(1) No person may intentionally instigate, promote, aid or abet as a principal, agent or employee, or participate in the earnings from, or intentionally maintain or allow any place to be used for a cockfight, dog fight, bullfight or other fight between the same or different kinds of animals or between an animal and a person. This section does not prohibit events or exhibitions commonly featured at rodeos or bloodless bullfights.
951.08(2)
(2) No person may own, possess, keep or train any animal with the intent that the animal be engaged in an exhibition of fighting.
951.08(2m)
(2m) If a person has been convicted under
sub. (1) or
(2), the person may not own, possess, keep or train any animal for a period of 5 years after the conviction. In computing the 5-year period, time which the person spent in actual confinement serving a criminal sentence shall be excluded. The person may move the sentencing court to have this requirement waived. The court may waive the requirement except that the waiver may not authorize the person to own, possess, keep or train animals of the species involved in the offense under
sub. (1) or
(2).
951.08(3)
(3) No person may intentionally be a spectator at a cockfight, dog fight, bullfight or other fight between the same or different kinds of animals or between an animal and a person.
951.08 History
History: 1973 c. 314;
1981 c. 160;
1983 a. 95;
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.08.
951.09
951.09
Shooting at caged or staked animals. No person may instigate, promote, aid or abet as a principal, agent, employee, participant or spectator, or participate in the earnings from, or intentionally maintain or allow any place to be used for the shooting, killing or wounding with a firearm or any deadly weapon, any animal that is tied, staked out, caged or otherwise intentionally confined in a man-made enclosure, regardless of size. Nothing in this section prohibits the shooting of any wild game in its wild state or the shooting of game birds and waterfowl at licensed game farms or licensed shooting preserves.
951.09 History
History: 1973 c. 314;
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.09.
951.095
951.095
Harassment of police and fire animals. 951.095(1)
(1) No person may do any of the following to any animal that is used by a law enforcement agency or fire department to perform agency or department functions or duties:
951.095(1)(a)
(a) Frighten, intimidate, threaten, abuse or harass the animal.
951.095(1)(b)
(b) Strike, shove, kick or otherwise subject the animal to physical contact.
951.095(2)
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to any of the following:
951.095(2)(a)
(a) Any act that is performed by or with the authorization of the animal's handler or rider.
951.095(2)(b)
(b) Any act that is necessary for the training of an animal to perform functions or duties for a law enforcement agency.
951.095 History
History: 1993 a. 192;
1997 a. 27.
951.10
951.10
Sale of baby rabbits, chicks and other fowl. 951.10(1)(1) No person may sell, offer for sale, barter or give away living chicks, ducklings or other fowl unless the person provides proper brooder facilities for the care of such chicks, ducklings or other fowl during the time they are in the person's possession.
951.10(2)
(2) No retailer, as defined in
s. 100.30 (2) (e), may sell, offer for sale, barter or give away living baby rabbits, baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl under 2 months of age in any quantity less than 6 unless in the business of selling these animals for agricultural, wildlife or scientific purposes.
951.11
951.11
Artificially colored animals; sale. No person may sell, offer for sale, raffle, give as a prize or premium, use as an advertising device or display living chicks, ducklings, other fowl or rabbits that have been dyed or otherwise colored artificially.
951.11 History
History: 1973 c. 314;
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.11.
951.13
951.13
Providing proper food and drink to confined animals. No person owning or responsible for confining or impounding any animal may fail to supply the animal with a sufficient supply of food and water as prescribed in this section.
951.13(1)
(1) Food. The food shall be sufficient to maintain all animals in good health.
951.13(2)
(2) Water. If potable water is not accessible to the animals at all times, it shall be provided daily and in sufficient quantity for the health of the animal.
951.13 History
History: 1973 c. 314;
1983 a. 95;
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.13.
951.14
951.14
Providing proper shelter. No person owning or responsible for confining or impounding any animal may fail to provide the animal with proper shelter as prescribed in this section. In the case of farm animals, nothing in this section shall be construed as imposing shelter requirements or standards more stringent than normally accepted husbandry practices in the particular county where the animal or shelter is located.
951.14(1)
(1) Indoor standards. Minimum indoor standards of shelter shall include:
951.14(1)(a)
(a)
Ambient temperatures. The ambient temperature shall be compatible with the health of the animal.
951.14(1)(b)
(b)
Ventilation. Indoor housing facilities shall be adequately ventilated by natural or mechanical means to provide for the health of the animals at all times.
951.14(2)
(2) Outdoor standards. Minimum outdoor standards of shelter shall include:
951.14(2)(a)
(a)
Shelter from sunlight. When sunlight is likely to cause heat exhaustion of an animal tied or caged outside, sufficient shade by natural or artificial means shall be provided to protect the animal from direct sunlight. As used in this paragraph, "caged" does not include farm fencing used to confine farm animals.
