Greeley Animal Cruelty Attorney
Police Accused of Animal Abuse for Not Helping a Bird

A refresher on Animal Cruelty after someone accused the Greeley Police of Animal Abuse for not helping a bird that couldn't fly.

If you’re ever looking for a laugh, you should read the Greeley Tribune’s Cop Log. It’s a collection of the strangest and funniest calls the Greeley police department receives. A recent cop log had me laughing out loud, so I thought I would use it as a starting off point for a blog. While some of my favorite stories in the log included a person calling the police about a squirrel trying to chew through a window screen and a man calling to see if it was legal to practice with his ninja swords in a park, the one that I decided to make the subject of this blog was an Animal Cruelty allegation. A person called the police to report that a bird had been injured and couldn’t fly. When the Greeley police responded that they didn’t deal with wildlife, the caller accused them of Animal Cruelty. It made me think that maybe we need a refresher on what Cruelty to Animals is and how it is charged. Also, police did show up to check out the situation, and it was just a baby bird that hadn’t learned to fly yet.

Weld County Cruelty to Animals Lawyer: Definition of Animal Abuse in Morgan and Logan County

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

(1)  (a) 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.

(b)  Any person who intentionally abandons a dog or cat commits the offense of cruelty to animals.

As you can see, you have to actively do something to an animal you own or have control over. It would not be considered neglect for someone to not help an injured bird, which would likely need to be handled by someone who specializes in handling wildlife.

If you or a loved one has been charged with Animal Cruelty, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009. Together, we can protect your future.

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