Oregon Animal Neglect and Hoarding Criminal Statutes

167.325 Animal neglect in the second degree. (1) A person commits the crime of animal neglect in the second degree if, except as otherwise authorized by law, the person intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence: (a) Fails to provide minimum care for an animal in such person’s custody or control; or (b) Tethers a domestic animal in the person’s custody or control and the tethering results in physical injury to the domestic animal. (2) Animal neglect in the second degree is a Class B misdemeanor. (3) Notwithstanding subsection (2) of this section, animal neglect in the second degree is a Class C felony if: (a) The person committing the offense has previously been convicted of two or more offenses under this section, ORS 167.330 or the equivalent laws of another jurisdiction; (b) The offense was part of a criminal episode involving 11 or more animals; or (c) The person knowingly commits the offense in the immediate presence of a minor child and the person has one or more previous convictions for an offense involving domestic violence as defined in ORS 135.230. For purposes of this paragraph, a minor child is in the immediate presence of animal neglect if the neglect is seen or directly perceived in any other manner by the minor child. (4) The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission shall classify animal neglect in the second degree under subsection (3) of this section: (a) As crime category 6 if 11 to 40 animals were the subject of the neglect.