Colorado Veterinarians @ Grassroots Animal Rights

Title 18: Criminal Code
 Article 9: Offences Against Public Peace, Order, And Decency
  Part 2: Cruelty To Animals
  
18-9-204

(1)
 (A) No person shall cause, sponsor, arrange, hold, or encourage a fight between animals for the purpose of monetary gain or entertainment.
  (B) For the purposes of this section, a person encourages a fight between animals for the purpose of monetary gain or entertainment if he or she:
   (I) Is knowingly present at or wagers on such a fight
   (II) Owns, trains, transports, possesses, breeds, sells, transfers, or equips an animal with the intent that such animal will be engaged in such a fight
   (III) Knowingly allows any such fight to occur on any property owned or controlled by him
   (IV) Knowingly allows any animal used for such a fight to be kept, boarded, housed, or trained on, or transported in, any property owned or controlled by him
   (V) Knowingly uses any means of communication for the purpose of promoting such a fight
   (VI) Knowingly possesses any animal used for such a fight or any device intended to enhance the animal’s fighting ability.
   
(2) Any person who violates the provisions of this section commits a class 5 felony and, in addition to the punishment provided in section 18-1.3-401, may be punished by a fine of up to one thousand dollars. Any person committing a second or subsequent violation of this section commits a class 4 felony and, in addition to the punishment provided in section 18-1.3-401, may be punished by a fine of up to five thousand dollars.
 
(3) Nothing in this section shall prohibit normal hunting practices as approved by the division of wildlife.

(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the training of animals or the use of equipment in the training of animals for any purpose not prohibited by law.

Title 18: Criminal Code
 Article 9: Offences Against Public Peace, Order, And Decency
  Part 2: Cruelty To Animals

18-9-202

(1) (a)  A person commits cruelty to animals if he or she knowingly or with criminal negligence overdrives, overloads, overworks, tortures, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance, unnecessarily or cruelly beats, needlessly mutilates, needlessly kills, allows to be housed in a manner that results in chronic or repeated serious physical harm, carries or confines in or upon any vehicles in a cruel or reckless manner, or otherwise mistreats or neglects any animal, or causes or procures it to be done, or, having the charge or custody of any animal, fails to provide it with proper food, drink, or protection from the weather consistent with the species, breed, and type of animal involved, or abandons it an animal.

   (1.6)  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

   (a)  “Serious physical harm” means any of the following:

   (I)  Any physical harm that carries a substantial risk of death;

   (II)  Any physical harm that causes permanent maiming or that involves some temporary, substantial maiming; or

  (III)  Any physical harm that causes acute pain of a duration that results in substantial suffering.

 (1.8)  A peace officer having authority to act under this section may take possession of and impound an animal that the peace officer has probable cause to believe is a victim of a violation of subsection (1) or (1.5) of this section or is a victim of a violation of section 18-9-204 and as a result of the violation is endangered if it remains with the owner or custodian