North Dakota Veterinarians @ Grassroots Animal Rights

North Dakota Century Code
Title 36: Livestock

CHAPTER 36-21.1
Humane Treatment of Animals

36-21.1-02. Overworking, Mistreating, or Abandoning Animals.
 (1) No person may overdrive, overload, torture, cruelly beat, neglect, or unjustifiably injure, maim, mutilate, or kill any animal, or cruelly work any animal when unfit for labor.
 
 (2) No person may deprive any animal over which the person has charge or control of necessary food, water, or shelter.
 
 (3) No person may keep any animal in any building, room, cage, or pen without adequate care.
 
 (4) No person may abandon any animal.
 
 (5) A person shall reclaim an animal within forty-eight hours of the agreed-upon time for termination of a boarding contract and pay all charges for boarding the animal.
 
 (6) No person may allow any maimed, sick, infirm, or disabled animal of which the person is the owner, or of which the person has custody, to lie in any street, road, or other public place for more than three hours after notice.
 
 (7) No person may willfully instigate, or in any way further, any act of cruelty to any animal or animals, or any act tending to produce such cruelty.
 
 (8) No person may cage any animal for public display purposes unless the display cage is constructed of solid material on three sides to protect the caged animal from the elements, and unless the horizontal dimension of each side of the cage is at least four times the length of the caged animal. This subsection does not apply to the North Dakota state fair association, to agricultural fair associations, to any agricultural display of caged animals by any political subdivision, or to district, regional, or national educational livestock or poultry exhibitions. Zoos which have been approved by the health district or the governing body of the political subdivision which has jurisdiction over the zoos are exempt from this subsection.

North Dakota Century Code
Title 36: Livestock
CHAPTER 36-21.1

Humane Treatment of Animals
36-21.1-01. Definitions.

 (1) “Abandoned Animal” means an animal that is or reasonably appears to have been deserted by its owner or keeper. The term may include an animal that is running loose on property other than that of its owner or the owner’s agent if the animal bears no identification indicating the owner or the owner’s agent and the owner or owner’s agent is not known to the sheriff, police officer, licensed veterinarian, or investigator taking custody of the animal under this chapter.
 (2) “Adequate Care” means normal and prudent attention to the needs of an animal, including wholesome food, clean water, shelter, and health care, as necessary to maintain good health in a specific species of animal.
 (3) “Animal” includes every living animal except the human race.
 (4) “Commissioner” means the agriculture commissioner.
 (5) “Cruelty” or “torture” means any act, omission, or neglect whereby unnecessary or unjustifiable pain, suffering, or death is caused or permitted. The term does not include:
  (a) Any activity that requires a license or permit under chapter 20.1-03;
  (b) Any activity that is usual and customary practice in production agriculture;
  (c) Any scientific research conducted at a public or private facility or laboratory by or under the direction of a qualified researcher;
  (d) Any show, fair, competition, performance, or parade;
  (e) A rodeo;
  (f) A wagon or buggy ride;
  (g) Trail or pleasure riding; or
  (h) Any activity that involves the training or teaching of animals.
 (6) “Investigator” means any person approved by the board to determine whether there has been a violation of this chapter.