578.012. Animal abuse--penalties. - Missouri Statutes

Animal abuse--penalties.

578.012. 1. A person is guilty of animal abuse when a person:

(1) Intentionally or purposely kills an animal in any manner notallowed by or expressly exempted from the provisions of sections 578.005 to578.023 and 273.030, RSMo;

(2) Purposely or intentionally causes injury or suffering to ananimal; or

(3) Having ownership or custody of an animal knowingly fails toprovide adequate care or adequate control.

2. Animal abuse is a class A misdemeanor, unless the defendant haspreviously plead guilty to or has been found guilty of animal abuse or thesuffering involved in subdivision (2) of subsection 1 of this section isthe result of torture or mutilation, or both, consciously inflicted whilethe animal was alive, in which case it is a class D felony.

(L. 1983 S.B. 211 § 4, A.L. 1994 S.B. 545, A.L. 1996 S.B. 491, A.L. 2001 S.B. 462)

(1989) "Willfully" is an essential element of the offense of animal abuse and distinguishes it from the offense of animal neglect. State v. Price, 772 S.W.2d 9 (Mo.App.E.D.).