Chapter 167 — Offenses Against General Welfare and Animals

ORS 167.322 Aggravated animal abuse in the first degree

(1)

A person commits the crime of aggravated animal abuse in the first degree if, except as otherwise authorized by law, the person intentionally or knowingly:

(a)

Tortures an animal;

(b)

Causes serious physical injury or death to an animal; or

(c)

Creates a visual recording of an act described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection.

(2)

Any practice of good animal husbandry is not a violation of this section.

(3)

Aggravated animal abuse in the first degree is a Class C felony and the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission shall classify the offense as crime category 6 of the sentencing guidelines grid.

(4)

Notwithstanding subsection (3) of this section, the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission shall classify the offense of aggravated animal abuse in the first degree as crime category 7 of the sentencing guidelines grid if:

(a)

The person committing the animal abuse has previously been convicted of one or more of the following offenses:

(A)

Any offense under ORS 163.160, 163.165, 163.175, 163.185 or 163.187 or the equivalent laws of another jurisdiction, if the offense involved domestic violence as defined in ORS 135.230 or the offense was committed against a minor child; or

(B)

Any offense under this section or ORS 167.320, or the equivalent laws of another jurisdiction; or

(b)

The person knowingly commits the animal abuse in the immediate presence of a minor child. For purposes of this paragraph, a minor child is in the immediate presence of animal abuse if the abuse is seen or directly perceived in any other manner by the minor child.

(5)

As used in this section, “torture” means an action taken for the primary purpose of inflicting pain.