2010 Michigan Compiled Laws
Chapter 750 - MICHIGAN PENAL CODE
Act 328 of 1931 - THE MICHIGAN PENAL CODE (750.1 - 750.568)
328-1931-IX - CHAPTER IX ANIMALS (750.49...750.70)
Section 750.49 - Animal; definition; fighting, baiting, or shooting; prohibited conduct; violation as felony; costs; dog trained or used for fighting or offspring of dog trained or used for fighting; prohibited conduct; exceptions; confiscation of dog; award of dog to animal welfare agency; euthanasia; expenses; forfeiture of animals, equipment, devices, and money; disposition of money seized; additional exceptions.

THE MICHIGAN PENAL CODE (EXCERPT)
Act 328 of 1931

750.49 Animal; definition; fighting, baiting, or shooting; prohibited conduct; violation as felony; costs; dog trained or used for fighting or offspring of dog trained or used for fighting; prohibited conduct; exceptions; confiscation of dog; award of dog to animal welfare agency; euthanasia; expenses; forfeiture of animals, equipment, devices, and money; disposition of money seized; additional exceptions.

Sec. 49.

(1) As used in this section, "animal" means a vertebrate other than a human.

(2) A person shall not knowingly do any of the following:

(a) Own, possess, use, buy, sell, offer to buy or sell, import, or export an animal for fighting or baiting, or as a target to be shot at as a test of skill in marksmanship.

(b) Be a party to or cause the fighting, baiting, or shooting of an animal as described in subdivision (a).

(c) Rent or otherwise obtain the use of a building, shed, room, yard, ground, or premises for fighting, baiting, or shooting an animal as described in subdivision (a).

(d) Permit the use of a building, shed, room, yard, ground, or premises belonging to him or her or under his or her control for any of the purposes described in this section.

(e) Organize, promote, or collect money for the fighting, baiting, or shooting of an animal as described in subdivisions (a) to (d).

(f) Be present at a building, shed, room, yard, ground, or premises where preparations are being made for an exhibition described in subdivisions (a) to (d), or be present at the exhibition, knowing that an exhibition is taking place or about to take place.

(g) Breed, buy, sell, offer to buy or sell, exchange, import, or export an animal the person knows has been trained or used for fighting as described in subdivisions (a) to (d), or breed, buy, sell, offer to buy or sell, exchange, import, or export the offspring of an animal the person knows has been trained or used for fighting as described in subdivisions (a) to (d). This subdivision does not prohibit owning, breeding, buying, selling, offering to buy or sell, exchanging, importing, or exporting an animal for agricultural or agricultural exposition purposes.

(h) Own, possess, use, buy, sell, offer to buy or sell, transport, or deliver any device or equipment intended for use in the fighting, baiting, or shooting of an animal as described in subdivisions (a) to (d).

(3) A person who violates subsection (2)(a) to (e) is guilty of a felony punishable by 1 or more of the following:

(a) Imprisonment for not more than 4 years.

(b) A fine of not less than $5,000.00 or more than $50,000.00.

(c) Not less than 500 or more than 1,000 hours of community service.

(4) A person who violates subsection (2)(f) to (h) is guilty of a felony punishable by 1 or more of the following:

(a) Imprisonment for not more than 4 years.

(b) A fine of not less than $1,000.00 or more than $5,000.00.

(c) Not less than 250 or more than 500 hours of community service.

(5) The court may order a person convicted of violating this section to pay the costs of prosecution.

(6) The court may order a person convicted of violating this section to pay the costs for housing and caring for the animal, including, but not limited to, providing veterinary medical treatment.

(7) As part of the sentence for a violation of subsection (2), the court shall order the person convicted not to own or possess an animal of the same species involved in the violation of this section for 5 years after the date of sentencing. Failure to comply with the order of the court pursuant to this subsection is punishable as contempt of court.

(8) If a person incites an animal trained or used for fighting or an animal that is the first or second generation offspring of an animal trained or used for fighting to attack a person and thereby causes the death of that person, the owner is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for life or for a term of years greater than 15 years.

(9) If a person incites an animal trained or used for fighting or an animal that is the first or second generation offspring of an animal trained or used for fighting to attack a person, but the attack does not result in the death of the person, the owner is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 4 years or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both.

(10) If an animal trained or used for fighting or an animal that is the first or second generation offspring of an animal trained or used for fighting attacks a person without provocation and causes the death of that person, the owner of the animal is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 15 years.

(11) If an animal trained or used for fighting or an animal that is the first or second generation offspring of an animal trained or used for fighting attacks a person without provocation, but the attack does not cause the death of the person, the owner is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

(12) Subsections (8) to (11) do not apply if the person attacked was committing or attempting to commit an unlawful act on the property of the owner of the animal.

(13) If an animal trained or used for fighting or an animal that is the first or second generation offspring of a dog trained or used for fighting goes beyond the property limits of its owner without being securely restrained, the owner is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00, or both.

(14) If an animal trained or used for fighting or an animal that is the first or second generation offspring of a dog trained or used for fighting is not securely enclosed or restrained on the owner's property, the owner is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.

(15) Subsections (8) to (14) do not apply to any of the following:

(a) A dog trained or used for fighting, or the first or second generation offspring of a dog trained or used for fighting, that is used by a law enforcement agency of the state or a county, city, village, or township.

(b) A certified leader dog recognized and trained by a national guide dog association for the blind or for persons with disabilities.

(c) A corporation licensed under the private security business and security alarm act, 1968 PA 330, MCL 338.1051 to 338.1083, when a dog trained or used for fighting, or the first or second generation offspring of a dog trained or used for fighting, is used in accordance with the private security business and security alarm act, 1968 PA 330, MCL 338.1051 to 338.1083.

(16) An animal that has been used to fight in violation of this section or that is involved in a violation of subsections (8) to (14) shall be confiscated as contraband by a law enforcement officer and shall not be returned to the owner, trainer, or possessor of the animal. The animal shall be taken to a local humane society or other animal welfare agency. If an animal owner, trainer, or possessor is convicted of violating subsection (2) or subsections (8) to (14), the court shall award the animal involved in the violation to the local humane society or other animal welfare agency.

(17) Upon receiving an animal confiscated under this section, or at any time thereafter, an appointed veterinarian, the humane society, or other animal welfare agency may humanely euthanize the animal if, in the opinion of that veterinarian, humane society, or other animal welfare agency, the animal is injured or diseased past recovery or the animal's continued existence is inhumane so that euthanasia is necessary to relieve pain and suffering.

(18) A humane society or other animal welfare agency that receives an animal under this section shall apply to the district court or municipal court for a hearing to determine whether the animal shall be humanely euthanized because of its lack of any useful purpose and the public safety threat it poses. The court shall hold a hearing not more than 30 days after the filing of the application and shall give notice of the hearing to the owner of the animal. Upon a finding by the court that the animal lacks any useful purpose and poses a threat to public safety, the humane society or other animal welfare agency shall humanely euthanize the animal. Expenses incurred in connection with the housing, care, upkeep, or euthanasia of the animal by a humane society or other animal welfare agency, or by a person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other entity, shall be assessed against the owner of the animal.

(19) Subject to subsections (16) to (18), all animals being used or to be used in fighting, equipment, devices and money involved in a violation of subsection (2) shall be forfeited to the state. All other instrumentalities, proceeds, and substituted proceeds of a violation of subsection (2) are subject to forfeiture under chapter 47 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.4701 to 600.4709.

(20) The seizing agency may deposit money seized under subsection (19) into an interest-bearing account in a financial institution. As used in this subsection, "financial institution" means a state or nationally chartered bank or a state or federally chartered savings and loan association, savings bank, or credit union whose deposits are insured by an agency of the United States government and that maintains a principal office or branch office located in this state under the laws of this state or the United States.

(21) An attorney for a person who is charged with a violation of subsection (2) involving or related to money seized under subsection (19) shall be afforded a period of 60 days within which to examine that money. This 60-day period shall begin to run after notice of forfeiture is given but before the money is deposited into a financial institution under subsection (20). If the attorney general, prosecuting attorney, or city or township attorney fails to sustain his or her burden of proof in forfeiture proceedings under subsection (19), the court shall order the return of the money, including any interest earned on money deposited into a financial institution under subsection (20).

(22) This section does not apply to conduct that is permitted by and is in compliance with any of the following:

(a) Part 401 of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.40101 to 324.40119.

(b) Part 435 of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.43501 to 324.43561.

(c) Part 427 of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.42701 to 324.42714.

(d) Part 417 of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.41701 to 324.41712.

(23) This section does not prohibit a person from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law that is committed by that person while violating this section.

History: 1931, Act 328, Eff. Sept. 18, 1931 ;-- CL 1948, 750.49 ;-- Am. 1976, Act 392, Eff. Mar. 31, 1977 ;-- Am. 1988, Act 381, Eff. Mar. 30, 1989 ;-- Am. 1995, Act 228, Eff. Jan. 1, 1996 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 38, Imd. Eff. Mar. 18, 1998 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 129, Imd. Eff. May 5, 2006
Former Law: See section 2 of Act 70 of 1877; How., § 9392; Act 48 of 1893; CL 1897, § 11740; Act 234 of 1899; CL 1915, § 15536; and CL 1929, § 17067.