Current through codified legislation effective September 4, 2024
Section 22-1006.02 - Possession of an implement of animal fighting.(a)Offense. A person commits the offense of possession of an implement of animal fighting when that person purposefully possesses, with the intent to use in furtherance of engaging in animal fighting, as described in section 6 a, an implement of animal fighting.(b)(1)Penalties. A person convicted of possession of an implement of animal fighting shall be fined no more than the amount set forth in section 101 of the Criminal Fine Proportionality Amendment Act of 2012, effective June 11, 2013 (D.C. Law 19-317; D.C. Official Code § 22-3571.01), or incarcerated for no more than 10 days, or both.(2)(A) Each implement of animal fighting possessed in violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense.(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, no person shall be consecutively sentenced to more than 30 days for violations of this section that occurred within a single 90-day period.(c) For the purposes of this section, the term "implement of animal fighting" means the following objects when used in preparation for, or in furtherance of, animal fighting:(1) A breaking stick designed for insertion behind the molars of an animal to break the animal's grip on another animal or object;(2) A slatmill, carpetmill or another form of improvised treadmill;(3) A springpole that has a biting surface attached to a stretchable device, suspended at a height sufficient to prevent an animal from reaching the biting surface while touching the ground;(4) A fighting pit or other confined area designed to contain an animal fight; or(5) A breeding stand or rape stand used to immobilize female animals for breeding purposes.Added by D.C. Law 24-346,§ 3, 70 DCR 000570, eff. 4/21/2023.