§ 14-422. Criminal penalties and civil remedies for violation. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 14‑422.  Criminalpenalties and civil remedies for violation.

(a)        Any personviolating any of the provisions of this Article shall be guilty of a Class 2misdemeanor.

(b)        If any person,other than the owner of a venomous reptile, large constricting snake, orcrocodilian, the owner's agent, employee, or a member of the owner's immediatefamily, suffers a life threatening injury or is killed as the result of aviolation of this Article, the owner of the reptile shall be guilty of a ClassA1 misdemeanor. This subsection shall not apply to violations that result fromincidents that could not have been prevented or avoided by the owner's exerciseof due care or foresight, such as natural disasters or other acts of God, or inthe case of thefts of the reptile from the owner.

(c)        Any personintentionally releasing into the wild a nonnative venomous reptile, a largeconstricting snake, or a crocodilian shall be guilty of a Class A1 misdemeanor.

(d)        Violations of thisArticle as set forth in subsections (b) or (c) of this section shall constitutewanton conduct within the meaning of G.S. 1D‑5(7) and subject theviolator to punitive damages in any civil action that may be filed as a resultof the violator's actions.  (1949, c. 1084, s. 7; 1969, c. 1224, s. 3; 1993, c.539, s. 289; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 2009‑344, s. 1.)