Title Minnesota Statutes, Minnesota Statutes

343.12 DUTIES OF PEACE OFFICERS. Upon application of any agent appointed by the federation or a county or district society, it shall be the duty of, any sheriff or the agent's deputy or any police officer to investigate any alleged violation of the law relative to cruelty to anim…

343.20 DEFINITIONS. § Subdivision 1.Application. Except as otherwise indicated by the context, for purposes of sections 343.20 to 343.36, the terms defined in this section have the meanings given them. § Subd. 2.Animal. "Animal" means every living creature except members of the h…

343.21 OVERWORKING OR MISTREATING ANIMALS; PENALTY. § Subdivision 1.Torture. No person shall overdrive, overload, torture, cruelly beat, neglect, or unjustifiably injure, maim, mutilate, or kill any animal, or cruelly work any animal when it is unfit for labor, whether it belongs…

343.215 VETERINARIAN IMMUNITY. A licensed veterinarian acting in good faith and in the normal course of business is immune from civil and criminal liability in any action arising in connection with the report of a suspected incident of animal cruelty. History: 2020 c 89 art 4 s 3…

343.22 INVESTIGATION OF CRUELTY COMPLAINTS. § Subdivision 1.Reporting. Any person who has reason to believe that a violation of this chapter has taken place or is taking place may apply to any court having jurisdiction over actions alleging violation of that section for a warrant…

343.23 EXPENSES OF INVESTIGATION. The expenses of the investigation authorized by section 343.22, including the fee of the doctor of veterinary medicine, the expenses of keeping or disposing of any animal taken into custody pursuant to an investigation, and all other expenses rea…

343.235 DISPOSITION OF SEIZED ANIMALS. § Subdivision 1.General rule. An animal taken into custody under section 343.12, 343.22, 343.29, or 343.31 may be humanely disposed of at the discretion of the jurisdiction having custody of the animal ten days after the animal is taken into…

343.24 CRUELTY IN TRANSPORTATION. § Subdivision 1.Penalty. Any person who does any of the following is guilty of a misdemeanor: (a) carries or causes to be carried, any live animals upon any vehicle or otherwise, without providing suitable racks, cars, crates, or cages in which t…

343.25 DOCKING HORSES; PENALTY. A person who cuts the bony part of a horse's tail for the purpose of docking it, or who causes or knowingly permits the same to be done upon premises of which the person is owner, lessee, or user, or who assists in the cutting is guilty of a misdem…

343.27 POISONING ANIMALS. Any person who unjustifiably administers any poisonous, or noxious drug or substance to any animal, or procures or permits it to be done, or unjustifiably exposes that drug or substance with intent that the drug be taken by any animal, whether the animal…

343.28 ANIMAL WITH INFECTIOUS DISEASE. An owner or person having charge of any animal who knows the animal has any infectious or contagious disease, or knows the animal has recently been exposed to an infectious or contagious disease, who sells or barters the animal, or knowingly…

343.29 EXPOSURE OF ANIMALS; DUTY OF OFFICERS. § Subdivision 1.Delivery to shelter. Any peace officer, animal control officer, or agent of the federation or county or district societies for the prevention of cruelty, may remove, shelter, and care for any animal which is not proper…

343.30 INJURY TO BIRDS. A person who in any manner maliciously maims, kills, or destroys any bird designated as unprotected by section 97A.015, subdivision 52, or who maliciously destroys the nests or eggs of any such bird shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor. History: (10447) …

343.31 ANIMAL FIGHTS AND POSSESSION OF FIGHTING ANIMALS. § Subdivision 1.Penalty for animal fighting; attending animal fight. (a) Whoever does any of the following is guilty of a felony: (1) promotes, engages in, or is employed in the activity of cockfighting, dogfighting, or vio…

343.315 LIVE LURE GREYHOUND TRAINING OR RACING. No person may train a greyhound for racing using a live lure or live bait or conduct a greyhound race using a live lure or live bait. History: 1991 c 74 s 1

343.32 ARTIFICIALLY COLORED ANIMALS; SALE. No chick, duckling, gosling, or rabbit that has been dyed or otherwise colored artificially may be sold or offered for sale; raffled; offered or given as a prize, premium, or advertising device; or displayed in any store, shop, carnival,…

343.33 USE AS ADVERTISING DEVICES. Chicks, ducklings, and goslings younger than four weeks of age shall not be sold or offered for sale; raffled; or offered or given as a prize, premium, or advertising device, in quantity of fewer than 12 birds to an individual person unless sold…

343.34 CARE OF ANIMALS USED AS ADVERTISING DEVICES. Stores, shops, vendors, and others offering chicks, ducklings, or goslings for sale; raffle; or as a prize, premium, or advertising device; or displaying chicks, ducklings, or goslings to the public; shall provide and operate br…

343.35 VIOLATIONS. A violation of sections 343.32 to 343.34 is a petty misdemeanor; provided that, after any violation has been called to the attention of the violator by any law enforcement officer, each day on which the violation continues or is repeated constitutes a separate …

343.36 GREASED PIG CONTESTS AND TURKEY SCRAMBLES. No person shall operate, run or participate in a contest, game, or other like activity, in which a pig, greased, oiled or otherwise, is released and wherein the object is the capture of the pig, or in which a chicken or turkey is …

343.37 DECOMPRESSION CHAMBERS PROHIBITED. A person may not use a decompression chamber to destroy an animal. A violation of this section is a misdemeanor. History: 1985 c 270 s 1

343.40 DOG HOUSES. § Subdivision 1.In general. A person in charge or control of any dog which is kept outdoors or in an unheated enclosure shall provide the dog with shelter and bedding as prescribed in this section as a minimum. § Subd. 2.Building specifications. The shelter sha…