Wyoming Statutes

Wyo. Stat. § 6-3-1005 (2026)

Felony cruelty to animals; penalty.

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) Except as provided in W.S. 6-3-1004(c) and paragraph
(a)(iii) of this section a person commits felony cruelty to
animals if the person:

          (i) Commits cruelty to animals as defined in W.S. 6-
3-1002(a)(v) through (ix), that results in the death or required
euthanasia of the animal;
          (ii) Knowingly, and with intent to cause death or
undue suffering, beats with cruelty, tortures, torments or
mutilates an animal; or

           (iii) Knowingly, and with intent to cause undue
suffering, tortures, torments or mutilates living wildlife,
including predatory animals and predacious birds, after reducing
the living wildlife to possession. For purposes of this
paragraph:

               (A) The immediate killing of living wildlife
reduced to possession shall not be a violation of this
paragraph;

               (B) Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed
to require an owner of a trap or snare to check the trap or
snare before the time required in title 23 of the Wyoming
statutes and rules promulgated by the game and fish commission.
Wildlife discovered in a snare or trap shall be considered
within the possession of the owner of the snare or trap upon
discovery by the owner;

               (C) A first offense of cruelty to animals under
this paragraph and W.S. 23-3-103(d) is a misdemeanor punishable
as provided in W.S. 6-3-1004(c). A second or subsequent offense
under this paragraph or W.S. 23-3-103(d) is punishable as
provided by subsections (b) and (c) of this section.

     (b)   Felony cruelty to animals is a felony punishable by:

          (i)    Permanent forfeiture of the animal or livestock
animal; and

          (ii) Imprisonment for not more than two (2) years, a
fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00), or
both.

     (c) Upon a conviction of a first or subsequent violation
of paragraph (a)(iii) of this section and W.S. 23-3-103(d) and
in addition to any penalty specified in subsection (b) of this
section, the court may revoke any license issued under title 23
of the Wyoming statutes and suspend a person's privilege to
purchase or receive any other license as specified in title 23
of the Wyoming statutes or to take any wildlife under W.S. 23-6-
206(a)(iii).