Doraville, Ga. – DeKalb County officers arrested a woman who was allegedly abusing her dog in order to get more social media followers.
According to reports, there were multiple 911 calls about this woman after she streamed the abuse of the dog on Instagram Live. Anonymous tipsters gave police videos of the woman kicking and choking the dog.
She is currently not allowed to own or care for any animals until her case is concluded. As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will focus today's post on the law that she has been accused of violating – cruelty to dogs.
Cruelty to Dogs in Georgia
Cruelty to Dogs in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law in O.C.G.A. §4-8-5 as:
No person shall perform a cruel act on any dog; nor shall any person harm, maim, or kill any dog, or attempt to do so.
However, by law, there are two exceptions to this rule: (1) People are allowed to harm, maim, or kill any dog to defend themselves, their property, or another from injury or damage being caused by the dog; and (2) People are allowed to kill any dog causing injury or damage to any livestock, poultry, or pet animal.
With regard to the killing, Georgia law states that the method used for killing the dog must be as humane as is possible under the circumstances. If a person humanely kills a dog under one of these conditions, then they will not be criminally liable for the death of the dog.
A person convicted of violating O.C.G.A. §4-8-5 is guilty of a misdemeanor and can face up to 12 months in jail and a fine up to $1,000.
Practice Note
Call a Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney if you have been accused of committing a crime in Georgia.
Comments
There are no comments for this post. Be the first and Add your Comment below.
Leave a Comment