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.
Ch. 951 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See definitions in s.
939.22.
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(1m)
(1m) "Conservation warden" means a warden appointed under
s. 23.10.
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. 951.015(1)
(1) This chapter may not be interpreted as controverting any law regulating wild animals that are subject to regulation under
ch. 169, the taking of wild animals, as defined in
s. 29.001 (90), or the slaughter of animals by persons acting under state or federal law.
951.015(2)
(2) For purposes of enforcing this chapter as to wild animals subject to regulation under
ch. 169, a conservation warden has the same powers and duties that a law enforcement officer has under this chapter.
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;
2001 a. 56.
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. 951.09(1)
(1) No person may shoot, kill, or wound with a firearm, or with any deadly weapon, any animal that is tied, staked out, caged or otherwise intentionally confined in an artificial enclosure, regardless of size.
951.09(2)(a)(a) Whoever is concerned in the commission of a violation of this section is a principal and may be charged with and convicted of the violation although he or she did not directly commit it and although the person who directly committed it has not been convicted of the violation.
951.09(2)(b)
(b) A person is concerned in the commission of a violation of this section under
par. (a) if the person does any of the following:
951.09(2)(b)1.
1. Instigates, promotes, aids, or abets the violation as a principal, agent, employee, participant, or spectator.
951.09(2)(b)2.
2. Participates in any earnings from the commission of the violation.
951.09(2)(b)3.
3. Intentionally maintains or allows any place to be used for the commission of the violation.
951.09(3)
(3) This section does not apply to any of the following animals:
951.09(3)(b)
(b) A captive wild bird that is shot, killed, or wounded on a bird hunting preserve licensed under
s. 169.19.
951.09(3)(d)
(d) Animals that are treated in accordance with normally acceptable husbandry practices.
951.09 History
History: 1973 c. 314;
1987 a. 332 s.
54; Stats. 1987 s. 951.09;
2001 a. 56.
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.
