North Dakota's animal cruelty law under NDCC Chapter 36-21.2 criminalizes overt acts of cruelty and neglect, which courts apply to animal hoarding cases. The statute provides minimum statewide protections that municipalities can supplement but not weaken.
NDCC Chapter 36-21.2 makes it unlawful to overwork, torture, torment, abandon, or cruelly beat an animal. Failure to provide adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care constitutes neglect, which often forms the basis for hoarding prosecutions when caretakers possess more animals than they can adequately care for. The statute distinguishes overt cruelty (a class C felony for first offense involving torture) from neglect (class B misdemeanor). Law enforcement and humane officers may seize neglected animals after court order. Convicted hoarders may be barred from owning animals and ordered to pay restitution for impoundment costs.
Cruelty: class C felony, up to 5 years prison, $10,000 fine. Neglect: class B misdemeanor, 30 days jail, $1,500 fine, plus animal forfeiture.
West Fargo, ND
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Cass County.
See how West Fargo's animal hoarding rules stack up against other locations.
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