{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-4-4-512","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 4, § 4-512","heading":"Seizure of abandoned or neglected animals - Divestment of","body":"ownership.\n\nA. If a law enforcement officer has reason to believe that an\n\nanimal has been abandoned or neglected in violation of Sections 1685\n\nor 1692 through 1700 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the\n\nofficer may apply in a court of competent jurisdiction for a warrant\n\nto seize the animal. Upon a showing of probable cause, the court\n\nshall issue a warrant and set a hearing within ten (10) calendar\n\ndays of the date of issuance to determine if a violation of such\n\nstatutes has occurred. Upon execution of the warrant, the animal\n\nshall be impounded and the owner of the animal shall receive written\n\nnotice of the time and place of a hearing to determine whether the\n\nowner’s right to ownership of the animal shall be terminated.\n\nB. If the court finds that the owner of the animal has not\n\nabandoned or neglected the animal, the court shall order the animal\n\nreturned to the owner.\n\nC. If the court finds that the owner of the animal has\n\nabandoned or neglected the animal, the owner shall be divested of\n\nownership of the animal, and the court shall order:\n\n1. The ownership of the animal be transferred to a nonprofit\n\nanimal shelter, pound or society for the protection of animals so\n\nthat the animal may be sold or adopted; or\n\n2. The animal be humanely destroyed if the court determines\n\nthat the best interests of the animal or that the public health and\n\nsafety would be served by doing so.\n\nD. If the court finds that the owner of the animal has\n\nabandoned or neglected the animal, the court shall order the owner\n\nto pay all court costs, any reasonable costs incurred for housing\n\nand caring for the animal during impoundment, and any reasonable\n\ncosts incurred for humanely destroying the animal if ordered by the\n\ncourt.","path":["OK Code","Title 4"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os4.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"32739cde1509a8e13557702132b345179baae9a56f08eda77c0201ff69647117","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-4-4-511","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-4-4-602"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}