§ 3-141. Theft of animals.

(a)

No person except an Animal Control Officer or law enforcement officer acting in the course of his duties shall intentionally entice, take, or carry away any dog, cat, or other pet or animal without the owner's consent.

(b)

Except as provided in Section 3-123, any person who steals, entices, takes, or carries away any animal, the property of another, without the owner's consent and with the intent to deprive the owner permanently of his or her property in such animal shall be guilty of the crime of theft. Upon conviction, he or she may be punished in the same manner and to the same extent as if the animal were the personal goods of the owner.

(c)

Every person convicted of a violation of Subsection (b) shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine not to exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) and to a term of imprisonment not to exceed ninety (90) days, or both. One-half of any such fine shall be remitted to the owner of such animal.

(CB-36-1985; CB-26-2001)