Animal Cruelty Crimes in Houston

While Texas tends to be more lax about animal cruelty laws than most other states, you can still be convicted of these crimes and some offenses are still felonies. If you have been charged with animal cruelty, even a misdemeanor level crime, it is critical you take the accusations seriously and immediately contact an experienced Houston criminal attorney.

Texas is one of the only states that does not allow for the prosecution of animals that were accidentally neglected. If you have been accused of an animal cruelty charge that stems from your failure to act, your Houston criminal lawyer may be able to show the negligence was accidental and not willful, if he can successfully prove this in court, you must be found not guilty no matter what condition the animal was in at the time of your arrest.

Our Criminal Lawyer Will Question the Evidence

When it comes to the intentional infliction of a cruel action to an animal, it will require a different defense. One of the first things your Houston criminal attorney will examine is the evidence against you. If any evidence was gathered illegally or if the evidence is inconclusive, we will strive to have it struck from the record or show it to be circumstantial and not enough to base a case on. Next, we will look at the animal in question and evaluate whether it was domesticated or captured. The laws of our state require an animal be either a pet or a wild animal that has been captured before animal cruelty statutes can apply. If you have been accused of attacking a wild animal, even a dog or cat without an owner, we may be able to have the charges against you dropped as they do not fall under the scope of the law.

If you are convicted of an animal cruelty charge in Texas, you could face jail or prison time and massive fines. Don’t risk your freedom, call a top Houston criminal lawyer from the Law Office of A Houston Criminal Defender today.