16.52.117 - Animal fighting -- Prohibited behavior -- Class C felony -- Exceptions.

Animal fighting — Prohibited behavior — Class C felony — Exceptions.

(1) A person commits the crime of animal fighting if the person knowingly does any of the following:

     (a) Owns, possesses, keeps, breeds, trains, buys, sells, or advertises or offers for sale any animal with the intent that the animal shall be engaged in an exhibition of fighting with another animal;

     (b) Knowingly promotes, organizes, conducts, participates in, is a spectator of, advertises, prepares, or performs any service in the furtherance of, an exhibition of animal fighting, transports spectators to an animal fight, or provides or serves as a stakeholder for any money wagered on an animal fight at any place or building;

     (c) Keeps or uses any place for the purpose of animal fighting, or manages or accepts payment of admission to any place kept or used for the purpose of animal fighting;

     (d) Suffers or permits any place over which the person has possession or control to be occupied, kept, or used for the purpose of an exhibition of animal fighting; or

     (e) Takes, leads away, possesses, confines, sells, transfers, or receives a stray animal or a pet animal, with the intent to deprive the owner of the pet animal, and with the intent of using the stray animal or pet animal for animal fighting, or for training or baiting for the purpose of animal fighting.

     (2) A person who violates this section is guilty of a class C felony punishable under RCW 9A.20.021.

     (3) Nothing in this section prohibits the following:

     (a) The use of dogs in the management of livestock, as defined by chapter 16.57 RCW, by the owner of the livestock or the owner's employees or agents or other persons in lawful custody of the livestock;

     (b) The use of dogs in hunting as permitted by law; or

     (c) The training of animals or the use of equipment in the training of animals for any purpose not prohibited by law.

     (4) For the purposes of this section, "animal" means dogs or male chickens.

[2006 c 287 § 1; 2005 c 481 § 3; 1994 c 261 § 11; 1982 c 114 § 9.]

Notes: Finding -- Intent -- 1994 c 261: See note following RCW 16.52.011.