A. A person commits the offense of cruelty to animals if, except as authorized by law, he knowingly or with criminal negligence overdrives, overloads, overworks, tortures, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance, unnecessarily or cruelly beats, needlessly mutilates, needlessly kills, carries in or upon any vehicles in a cruel manner, or otherwise mistreats or neglects any animal, or causes or procures it to be done, or having the charge and custody of any animal, fails to provide it with proper food, drink, or protection for the weather, or abandons it.

B. Any person who violates the provisions of subsection (A) of this section commits a Class A municipal offense.

C. In the case of any person incurring a second or subsequent conviction under the provisions of subsection (A) of this section, a sentence of not less than twenty (20) days’ imprisonment shall be mandatory and shall not be subject to suspension, nor shall such persons be eligible for probation for any part of such period. A plea of nolo contendere accepted by the Court shall be considered a conviction for the purposes of this section. (Ord. 201, 1982; Amended Ord. 529 §1, 2005)