Domestic animals; malicious killing or injury
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever wilfully and kills, maims or disfigures any horse, cattle or other animal of another person, or wilfully and administers or exposes poison with intent that it shall be taken or swallowed by any such animal, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 7 years in or imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2 1/2 years or by a fine of not more than $5,000 or by both fine and imprisonment; provided, however, that a second or subsequent offense shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 10 years or by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Simplified explanation
Wilfully and maliciously killing, maiming or disfiguring another person's animal, or poisoning it, is punishable by up to 7 years in state prison, and up to 10 years for a repeat offense.