§ 14-159.2. Interference with animal research.
§14‑159.2. Interference with animal research.
(a) It is unlawful fora person willfully to commit any of the following acts:
(1) The unauthorizedentry into any research facility where animals are kept within the facility forresearch in the advancement of medical, veterinary, dental, or biologicalsciences, with the intent to (i) disrupt the normal operation of the researchfacility, or (ii) damage the research facility or any personal property locatedthereon, or (iii) release from any enclosure or restraining device any animalkept within the research facility, or (iv) interfere with the care of anyanimal kept within the research facility;
(2) The damaging of anysuch research facility or any personal property located thereon;
(3) The unauthorizedrelease from any enclosure or restraining device of any animal kept within anyresearch facility; or
(4) The interferencewith the care of any animal kept within any research facility.
(b) Any person whocommits an offense under subsection (a) of this section shall be guilty of aClass 1 misdemeanor.
(c) Any person whocommits an offense under subsection (a) of this section that involves therelease from any enclosure or restraining device of any animal having aninfectious disease shall be guilty of a Class I felony.
(d) As a condition ofprobation, the court may order a person convicted under this section to makerestitution to the owner of the animal for damages, including the cost ofrestoring the animal to confinement and of restoring the animal to its healthcondition prior to any release, and for damages to personal property, includingmaterials, equipment, data, and records, and real property caused by theinterference. If the interference causes the failure of an experiment, therestitution may include all costs of repeating the experiment, includingreplacement of the animals, labor, and materials.
(e) Nothing in thissection shall be construed to affect any rights or causes of action of a persondamaged through interference with animal research. (1991, c. 203; 1993, c. 539,ss. 98, 1190; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)