Cruelty to Animals – C.R.S. 18-9-202 is a vague crime in Logan, Morgan, and Weld County. With animals rights activists lobbying more than ever, behavior which would have been considered fun and games in the past is now criminal. Police, District Attorneys, and judges are pressured into ruling against people who are accused of animal cruelty, out of fear of being called insensitive and cruel. Here is a recent example of what some consider to be animal cruelty:
A Black Bear’s Curiosity – Is it Animal Cruelty?
In a video some are calling a “disgrace,” a black bear tries to get his paws on a tasty treat he stumbled across in the woods. According to reports, the owner of an outfitting company tied a piece of meat to a wire which he suspended between two trees. Then, he set up his camera and waited to see the wildlife coming to investigate. A curious black bear soon sniffed the snack, and attempted to snag a bite by climbing one of the trees and shimmying across the wire. Unfortunately for the bear, he is unable to keep his balance, and tumbles to the ground, landing on his feet. The cameraman cheers the bear on under his breath, and gives him an “A for effort.” This video gives us a glimpse into nature, and the video has gone viral on YouTube.
What is Exactly is Animal Cruelty?
Many people enjoy the video of the bear looking for a meal, but others are decrying it as “irresponsible” and dangerous. One critic says the cameraman is a “brainless jerk” who has “nothing better to do then to torment an animal,” telling him to “get an education.” One person said that by putting up the wire, the outfitter was “creating a situation in which the bear could be injured.” These claims are ridiculous. The bear is climbing trees as he would with or without human involvement. The attempt to climb the wire most likely occurs in variations in the wilderness day after day. But, no one sees how bears act in the woods, so instead of realizing the bear is curious (the nature of bears), and falls harmlessly, they cry out it is animal abuse. What exactly is animal cruelty in Greeley, Fort Lupton, and Berthoud? Let’s take a look:
A person will be accused of Cruelty to Animals if they knowingly or recklessly torment, overwork, torture, abandon, or needlessly kill an animal. Other instances where animal cruelty is charges is when a person fails to feed or offer protection to one of their animals, deprive it of food or water, or keep it in a place where the animal sustains chronic or repeated physical harm.
Why You Need an Experienced Cruelty to Animals Lawyer
In Colorado (this event was filmed in Canada) this man could face charges for harassing an animal. Statute C.R.S. 33-6-128 states that a person will be charged if they “…harass any wildlife” unless they are “permitted by the division.” Combined with the pressure from animal rights’ groups, filming an animal in the wild and interfering at all could result in a misdemeanor charge. Because of the vagueness of our laws (the definition of “harass” is vague) in Phillips, Yuma, and Washington County, innocent people are going to prison or jail for engaging in behavior which is normal, but seen as cruelty by a small population of people. Because of this, it is wise to create the best defense possible in your case.