West Virginia § 19-20-24 Causing death or injury to animals used by law- enforcement officials or by fire prevention or investigation officials; criminal penalties

West Virginia Statutes

§ 19-20-24 — Causing death or injury to animals used by law- enforcement officials or by fire prevention or investigation officials; criminal penalties

West Virginia § 19-20-24

Ch. 19AGRICULTURE

Art. 20DOGS AND CATS

This text of West Virginia § 19-20-24 (Causing death or injury to animals used by law- enforcement officials or by fire prevention or investigation officials; criminal penalties) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

W. Va. Code § 19-20-24 (2026).

Text

Any person who, without justification, and with the unlawful intent to inflict serious physical injury or death, causes the death of any trained dog or horse used by law-enforcement officials, the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety or by fire prevention or investigation officials in the performance of their official duties is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $5,000 and imprisoned in a correctional facility for a definite term of not less than one year nor more than three years.

Any person who, without justification, willfully and unlawfully causes physical injury to any trained dog or horse used by law-enforcement officials, the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety or by fire prevention or investigat

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Any person who, without justification, and with the unlawful intent to inflict serious physical injury or death, causes the death of any trained dog or horse used by law-enforcement officials, the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety or by fire prevention or investigation officials in the performance of their official duties is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $5,000 and imprisoned in a correctional facility for a definite term of not less than one year nor more than three years.

Any person who, without justification, willfully and unlawfully causes physical injury to any trained dog or horse used by law-enforcement officials, the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety or by fire prevention or investigation officials in the performance of their official duties is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $500 or confined in jail not more than six months, or both.

Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be ordered to make restitution to the law-enforcement agency, the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety or to the State Fire Marshal or other fire prevention or investigation department or agency owning the animal for any veterinary bills, and replacement costs of any disabled or killed animal.