Animal hoarding in Yellowstone County is prosecuted under Montana state cruelty law, not a county ordinance. Cruelty to animals is a misdemeanor; inflicting cruelty on a collection or herd of 10 or more animals is aggravated animal cruelty, a felony-level offense.
The county relies on Montana's criminal cruelty statutes for hoarding cases. Under MCA 45-8-211, a person commits cruelty to animals by knowingly or negligently subjecting an animal to mistreatment or neglect. MCA 45-8-217 makes it aggravated animal cruelty to purposely or knowingly inflict cruelty on 'a collection, kennel, or herd of 10 or more animals,' the provision most often used in hoarding situations. Companion-animal hoarding is separately punishable. The Yellowstone County Sheriff and local authorities investigate; animals may be seized. Cruelty and neglect complaints can be reported regardless of zoning.
Cruelty is a misdemeanor (up to $1,000 fine, 1 year jail); aggravated cruelty/hoarding can bring up to a $2,500 fine and 2 years under MCA 45-8-217.
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