Title 13A: Criminal Code
Chapter 11: Offenses Against Public Order And Safety
Article 6A: Offenses Against Animal Research and Animal Production Facilities
Section 13A-11-150
Legislative findings and determinations.
The Legislature has found and determined that there has been an increasing number of illegal acts committed against animal research and production facilities involving injury to humans or animals, criminal trespass, and damage to property. These acts not only abridge the property rights of the owner of the facility, they also damage the public interest by jeopardizing crucial scientific, biomedical, or agricultural research or production. These actions can also threaten the public safety by exposing communities to serious public health concerns and may substantially disrupt or damage research.
Therefore, it is in the interest of the people of the State of Alabama to protect the welfare of humans and animals as well as productive use of public funds to prohibit unauthorized possession, alteration, or destruction of agricultural, educational, or research records, equipment, and animals.
Section 13A-11-153
Prohibited acts
It shall be unlawful for any person to do any of the following:
(1) Intentionally release, steal, destroy, demolish, obliterate, or otherwise cause loss of any animal or crop from an animal or crop facility without the consent of the owner.
(2) Damage, vandalize, or steal any property on or from an animal or crop facility.
(3) Obtain access to an animal or crop facility by false pretenses for the purpose of performing acts not authorized by that facility.
(4) Break and enter into any animal or crop facility with the intent to destroy, alter, duplicate, or obtain unauthorized possession of records, data, materials, equipment, animals, or crops.
(5) Knowingly obtain control by theft or deception that is unauthorized, or to exert control that is unauthorized over any records, data, materials, equipment, animals, or crops of any animal or crop facility for the purpose of depriving the rightful owner or facility of records, materials, data, equipment, animals, or crops.
(6) Possess or use records, materials, data, equipment, crops, or animals in any way to copy or reproduce records or data of an animal or crop facility knowing or reasonably believing that the records, materials, data, equipment, crops, or animals have been obtained by theft or deception, or without authorization of the rightful owners or administrators of the animal or crop facility.
(7) Enter or remain on an animal or crop facility with the intent to commit an act prohibited under this section.
