2023 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations › Chapter 951 - Crimes against animals. › 951.18 - Penalties.

951.18
Penalties.
(1)
Any person violating s. 951.02, 951.025, 951.03, 951.04, 951.05, 951.06, 951.07, 951.09, 951.10, 951.11, 951.13, 951.14 or 951.15 is subject to a Class C forfeiture. Any person who violates any of these provisions within 3 years after a humane officer issues an abatement order under s. 173.11 prohibiting the violation of that provision is subject to a Class A forfeiture. Any person who intentionally or negligently violates any of those sections is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Any person who intentionally violates s. 951.02, resulting in the mutilation, disfigurement or death of an animal, is guilty of a Class I felony. Any person who intentionally violates s. 951.02 or 951.06, knowing that the animal that is the victim is used by a law enforcement agency to perform agency functions or duties and causing injury to the animal, is guilty of a Class I felony.
(2)
Any person who violates s. 951.08 (2m) or (3) is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Any person who violates s. 951.08 (1) or (2) is guilty of a Class I felony for the first violation and is guilty of a Class H felony for the 2nd or subsequent violation.
(2m)
Any person who violates s. 951.095 is subject to a Class B forfeiture. Any person who intentionally or negligently violates s. 951.095, knowing that the animal that is the victim is used by a law enforcement agency or fire department to perform agency or department functions or duties, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Any person who intentionally violates s. 951.095, knowing that the animal that is the victim is used by a law enforcement agency or fire department to perform agency or department functions or duties and causing injury to the animal, is guilty of a Class I felony. Any person who intentionally violates s. 951.095, knowing that the animal that is the victim is used by a law enforcement agency or fire department to perform agency or department functions or duties and causing death to the animal, is guilty of a Class H felony.
(2s)
Any person who violates s. 951.097 (1) (b) 1. or (2) (a), knowing that the dog that is the victim is a service dog, is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. Any person who violates s. 951.097 (1) (b) 2., (2) (b), or (3) (a), knowing that the dog that is the victim is a service dog, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Any person who violates s. 951.097 (3) (b) or (4) (a), knowing that the dog that is the victim is a service dog, is guilty of a Class I felony. Any person who violates s. 951.097 (4) (b) or (5), knowing that the dog that is the victim is a service dog, is guilty of a Class H felony.
(3)
In addition to penalties applicable to this chapter under this section, a district attorney may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for a temporary or permanent injunction restraining any person from violating this chapter.
(4)
In addition to penalties applicable to this chapter under this section:
(a)
1.
In this paragraph, “ pecuniary loss" means any of the following:
a.
All special damages, but not general damages, including the money equivalent of loss resulting from property taken, destroyed, broken, or otherwise harmed and out-of-pocket losses, such as medical expenses.
b.
Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the victim resulting from the filing of charges or cooperating in the investigation and prosecution of an offense under this chapter.
c.
Expenses in keeping any animal that is involved in the crime.
d.
In a case under s. 951.095 or 951.097, the value of a replacement animal, if the affected animal is incapacitated or dead; the cost of training a replacement animal; or the cost of retraining the affected animal. The court shall base any determination of the value of a replacement service dog on the value of the service dog to the user and not on its cost or fair market value.
e.
In a case under s. 951.095 or 951.097, all related veterinary and care expenses.
f.
In a case under s. 951.095 or 951.097, the medical expenses of the animal's user, the cost of training the animal's user, and compensation for income lost by the animal's user.
2.
A sentencing court shall require a criminal violator to pay restitution to a person, including any local humane officer or society or county or municipal pound or a law enforcement officer or conservation warden, for any pecuniary loss suffered by the person as a result of the crime. This requirement applies regardless of whether the criminal violator is placed on probation under s. 973.09. If restitution is ordered, the court shall consider the financial resources and future ability of the criminal violator to pay and shall determine the method of payment. Upon the application of any interested party, the court shall schedule and hold an evidentiary hearing to determine the value of any pecuniary loss under this paragraph.
(b)
1.
A sentencing court may order that an animal be delivered to the local humane officer or society or the county or municipal pound or to a law enforcement officer if a person commits a crime under this chapter, the person is the owner of the animal that is involved in the crime and the court considers the order to be reasonable and appropriate. A sentencing court may order that an animal be delivered to the department of natural resources, if the animal is a wild animal that is subject to regulation under ch. 169 and the court considers the order to be reasonable and appropriate. The society, pound, officer or department of natural resources shall release the animal to a person other than the owner or dispose of the animal in a proper and humane manner. If the animal is a dog, the release or disposal shall be in accordance with s. 173.23 (1m), except that the fees under s. 173.23 (1m) (a) 4. do not apply if the expenses are covered under s. 173.24. If the animal is not a dog, the society, pound or officer may charge a fee for the release of the animal.
2.
If the court is sentencing a person covered under s. 173.22 (4) (d) 2. and an animal has been seized under s. 173.13 (1) (a) 8., the court shall act in accordance with s. 173.22 (4) (d) 2.
(c)
Except as provided in s. 951.08 (2m), a sentencing court may order that the criminal violator may not own, possess or train any animal or type or species of animal for a period specified by the court, but not to exceed 5 years. In computing the time period, time which the person spent in actual confinement serving a sentence shall be excluded.
History:  1973 c. 314; 1977 c. 173; 1981 c. 160; 1983 a. 95; 1985 a. 48 s. 2; 1985 a. 263; 1987 a. 248; 1987 a. 332 ss. 54, 64; Stats. 1987 s. 951.18; 1987 a. 403 s. 256; 1989 a. 56 s. 259; 1989 a. 223; 1993 a. 192; 1997 a. 27, 192; 2001 a. 56, 109; 2005 a. 353; 2015 a. 233.
The first and second clauses of sub. (1) are distinct and separated by a comma. Under the plain language, “intentionally" modifies only the first clause, “violates s. 951.02." Applying the s. 939.23 (3) definition of “intentionally" to the first clause of sub. (1), the state must prove the actor had the purpose to do or cause “unnecessary and excessive pain or suffering or unjustifiable injury or death" to an animal. The second clause, “resulting in the mutilation, disfigurement or death of an animal," bears no direct relationship to the actor, but looks to the final outcome of the intentional cruel treatment by the actor and increases the penalty exposure if the result is severe enough to amount to mutilation, disfigurement, or death of an animal. State v. Klingelhoets, 2012 WI App 55, 341 Wis. 2d 432, 814 N.W.2d 885, 11-0507.