{"data":{"id":"us-pa/18-pa.c.s.-5533","jurisdiction":"us-pa","citation":"18 Pa.C.S. § 5533","heading":"Cruelty to animal.","body":"(a) Offense defined.--A person commits an offense if the person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly illtreats, overloads, beats, abandons or abuses an animal.\n(b) Grading.--\n(1) Except as set forth in paragraph (2), a violation of this section is a summary offense.\n(2) If the violation causes bodily injury to the animal or places the animal at imminent risk of serious bodily injury, a violation of this section is a misdemeanor of the second degree.","path":["Title 18 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES","PART II DEFINITION OF SPECIFIC OFFENSES","ARTICLE F OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER AND DECENCY","CHAPTER 55 RIOT, DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND RELATED OFFENSES","SUBCHAPTER B CRUELTY TO ANIMALS"],"source_url":"https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=HTM\u0026ttl=18\u0026div=0\u0026chpt=55\u0026sctn=33\u0026subsctn=0","current_through":"2026-08-31 (Statute Update stamp, 18 Pa.C.S.)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-02T16:31:28Z","sha256":"a615494b5c2d1d4102ccbc101eb099f7f3338a8fffb3cbae4e6564fafc2a8bdc","source_id":"us-pa","stale":false,"prev":"us-pa/18-pa.c.s.-5532","next":"us-pa/18-pa.c.s.-5534"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}