Nebraska § 28-1017 Animal abandonment,
cruel neglect, or cruel mistreatment; report required by certain employees;
violation; penalty

Nebraska Statutes

§ 28-1017 — Animal abandonment, cruel neglect, or cruel mistreatment; report required by certain employees; violation; penalty

Nebraska § 28-1017

Ch. 28Crimes and Punishments

This text of Nebraska § 28-1017 (Animal abandonment, cruel neglect, or cruel mistreatment; report required by certain employees; violation; penalty) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-1017 (2026).

Text

(1)For purposes of this section:

(a)Reasonably suspects means a basis for reporting knowledge or a set of facts that would lead a person of ordinary care and prudence to believe and conscientiously entertain a strong suspicion that criminal activity is at hand or that a crime has been committed; and

(b)Employee means any employee of a governmental agency dealing with child or adult protective services, animal control, or animal abuse.

(2)Any employee, while acting in his or her professional capacity or within the scope of his or her employment, who observes or is involved in an incident which leads the employee to reasonably suspect that an animal has been abandoned, cruelly neglected, or cruelly mistreated shall report such to the entity or entities that investigate such reports in th

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(1) For purposes of this section:
(a) Reasonably suspects means a basis for reporting knowledge
or a set of facts that would lead a person of ordinary care and prudence to
believe and conscientiously entertain a strong suspicion that criminal activity
is at hand or that a crime has been committed; and
(b) Employee means any employee of a governmental agency dealing with child
or adult protective services, animal control, or animal abuse.
(2) Any employee, while acting in his or her professional
capacity or within the scope of his or her employment, who observes or is
involved in an incident which leads the employee to reasonably suspect that
an animal has been abandoned, cruelly neglected, or cruelly mistreated shall
report such to the entity or entities that investigate such reports in that
jurisdiction.
(3) The report of
an employee shall be made within two working days of acquiring
the information concerning the animal by facsimile transmission of a written
report presented in the form described in subsection (6) of this section or
by telephone. When an immediate response is necessary to protect the health
and safety of the animal or others, the report of an employee shall be made by telephone as
soon as possible.
(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to impose a
duty to investigate observed or reasonably suspected animal abandonment, cruel
neglect, or cruel mistreatment. Any person making a report under this section
is immune from liability except for false statements of fact made with malicious
intent.
(5) A report made by an employee pursuant to this section shall
include:
(a) The reporter's name and title, business address, and telephone
number;
(b) The name, if known, of the animal owner or custodian,
whether a business or individual;
(c) A description of the animal or animals involved, person
or persons involved, and location of the animal or animals and the premises;
and
(d) The date, time, and a description of the observation or
incident which led the reporter to reasonably suspect animal abandonment,
cruel neglect, or cruel mistreatment and any other information the reporter
believes may be relevant.
(6) A report made by an employee pursuant to this section may
be made on preprinted forms prepared by the entity or entities that investigate
reports of animal abandonment, cruel neglect, or cruel mistreatment in that
jurisdiction. The form shall include space for the information required under
subsection (5) of this section.
(7) When two or more employees jointly have observed or reasonably
suspected animal abandonment, cruel neglect, or cruel mistreatment and there
is agreement between or among them, a report may be made by one person by
mutual agreement. Any such reporter
who has knowledge that the person designated to report has failed to do so
shall thereafter make the report.
(8) Any employee failing to report under this section shall
be guilty of an infraction.