What is the punishment for animal cruelty?

Cruelty to animals can result in both administrative and criminal liability.

Administrative responsibility for animal cruelty is provided for in Article 89 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses.

Cruelty to animals - abuse of animals, including homeless ones, which caused them suffering, caused them physical pain, suffering, but did not cause bodily harm, mutilation or death, leaving animals to fend for themselves, as well as other violations of the rules of keeping, and treatment of animals provided for by law - entails the imposition of a fine of two hundred to three hundred tax-free minimum incomes of citizens with confiscation of the animal, if the animal's stay with the owner poses a threat to its life or health.

The same actions, committed in relation to two or more animals, or by a group of persons, or by a person who was subject to an administrative fine during the year for the same violation - entail the imposition of a fine from three hundred to five hundred tax-free minimum incomes of citizens or administrative arrest for a period of up to fifteen days, with confiscation of the animal, if the animal's stay with the owner poses a threat to its life or health.

Violation of the Rules for transporting animals - entails the imposition of a fine from two hundred to three hundred and fifty tax-free minimum incomes of citizens.

Criminal liability for animal cruelty is provided for in Article 299 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Cruel treatment of animals belonging to vertebrates, including homeless animals, violation of the rules of animal transportation, if such actions resulted in bodily harm, mutilation or death of the animal, bullying of animals against each other, committed for hooligan or selfish motives, as well as propaganda, public calls to commit acts that have signs of cruelty to animals, dissemination of materials with calls to commit such acts - shall be punished by restriction of liberty for a term of one to three years or imprisonment for a term of two to three years with confiscation of the animal.

The same actions, committed in the presence of a minor or a minor, - are punished by imprisonment for a term of three to five years with confiscation of the animal.

Actions provided for by parts one or two of Article 299 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, ** committed with particular cruelty or in the presence of a minor or minor, or in relation to two or more animals, or repeatedly, or by a group of persons, or committed in an active way, or violent actions against an animal, aimed at the satisfaction of sexual passion, -- are punished by deprivation of liberty for a term of five to eight years with confiscation of the animal.