Pennsylvania · Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Title 18 (Crimes & Offenses)
18 Pa.C.S. § 5533: Cruelty to animal
What this law says, in plain English
A person commits an offense by intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly mistreating, overloading, beating, abandoning, or abusing an animal. The offense is a summary offense unless it causes bodily injury or imminent serious injury risk, making it a second-degree misdemeanor.
Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.
MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.
This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.