Maine criminal charge
Cruelty to birds in Maine
Cruelty to birds is a criminal offense under Maine law, defined by 17 M.R.S. § 1032. Its classification is not fixed: Maine assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.
Defined by 17 M.R.S. § 1032.
What is the penalty for cruelty to birds in Maine?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 364 days (Using live bird as shooting target — A person keeps or uses any live pigeon, fowl or other bird for a target or to be shot at for amusement or marksmanship practice.; the statutory maximum is 'less than one year' (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(D)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $2,000 (Using live bird as shooting target — A person keeps or uses any live pigeon, fowl or other bird for a target or to be shot at for amusement or marksmanship practice.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(4)); organizations up to $10,000 (§1705); statute-specific fines may differ) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Using live bird as shooting target — repeat offender — Violation of paragraph A where the person has 2 or more prior convictions for this section, section 1031, or similar crimes elsewhere.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(C)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Using live bird as shooting target — repeat offender — Violation of paragraph A where the person has 2 or more prior convictions for this section, section 1031, or similar crimes elsewhere.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(3)); organizations up to $20,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 364 days (Shooting at bird or serving as party/umpire/judge — A person shoots at any bird or is present as a party, umpire or judge at such a shooting.; the statutory maximum is 'less than one year' (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(D)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $2,000 (Shooting at bird or serving as party/umpire/judge — A person shoots at any bird or is present as a party, umpire or judge at such a shooting.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(4)); organizations up to $10,000 (§1705); statute-specific fines may differ) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Shooting at bird or serving as party/umpire/judge — repeat offender — Violation of paragraph B where the person has 2 or more prior convictions for this section, section 1031, or similar crimes elsewhere.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(C)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Shooting at bird or serving as party/umpire/judge — repeat offender — Violation of paragraph B where the person has 2 or more prior convictions for this section, section 1031, or similar crimes elsewhere.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(3)); organizations up to $20,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 364 days (Renting premises for bird shooting — A person rents or knowingly allows use of a building, shed, room, yard, field or premises for the purposes described in paragraphs A and B.; the statutory maximum is 'less than one year' (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(D)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $2,000 (Renting premises for bird shooting — A person rents or knowingly allows use of a building, shed, room, yard, field or premises for the purposes described in paragraphs A and B.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(4)); organizations up to $10,000 (§1705); statute-specific fines may differ) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Renting premises for bird shooting — repeat offender — Violation of paragraph C where the person has 2 or more prior convictions for this section, section 1031, or similar crimes elsewhere.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(C)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Renting premises for bird shooting — repeat offender — Violation of paragraph C where the person has 2 or more prior convictions for this section, section 1031, or similar crimes elsewhere.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(3)); organizations up to $20,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
Applies to current (PL 2019, c. 113 recodification).
How is cruelty to birds classified in Maine?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using live bird as shooting target | Class D Crime | A person keeps or uses any live pigeon, fowl or other bird for a target or to be shot at for amusement or marksmanship practice. | 17 M.R.S. § 1032(1)(A) |
| Using live bird as shooting target — repeat offender | Class C Crime | Violation of paragraph A where the person has 2 or more prior convictions for this section, section 1031, or similar crimes elsewhere. | 17 M.R.S. § 1032(1)(A-1) |
| Shooting at bird or serving as party/umpire/judge | Class D Crime | A person shoots at any bird or is present as a party, umpire or judge at such a shooting. | 17 M.R.S. § 1032(1)(B) |
| Shooting at bird or serving as party/umpire/judge — repeat offender | Class C Crime | Violation of paragraph B where the person has 2 or more prior convictions for this section, section 1031, or similar crimes elsewhere. | 17 M.R.S. § 1032(1)(B-1) |
| Renting premises for bird shooting | Class D Crime | A person rents or knowingly allows use of a building, shed, room, yard, field or premises for the purposes described in paragraphs A and B. | 17 M.R.S. § 1032(1)(C) |
| Renting premises for bird shooting — repeat offender | Class C Crime | Violation of paragraph C where the person has 2 or more prior convictions for this section, section 1031, or similar crimes elsewhere. | 17 M.R.S. § 1032(1)(C-1) |
Common questions about cruelty to birds in Maine
What class of crime is cruelty to birds in Maine?
It depends on the circumstances: cruelty to birds ranges from a Class D Crime to a Class C Crime in Maine under 17 M.R.S. § 1032.
Using live bird as shooting target: Class D Crime (17 M.R.S. § 1032(1)(A)) · Using live bird as shooting target — repeat offender: Class C Crime (17 M.R.S. § 1032(1)(A-1)) · Shooting at bird or serving as party/umpire/judge: Class D Crime (17 M.R.S. § 1032(1)(B)) · Shooting at bird or serving as party/umpire/judge — repeat offender: Class C Crime (17 M.R.S. § 1032(1)(B-1)) · Renting premises for bird shooting: Class D Crime (17 M.R.S. § 1032(1)(C)) · Renting premises for bird shooting — repeat offender: Class C Crime (17 M.R.S. § 1032(1)(C-1))
What are the penalties for cruelty to birds in Maine?
Penalties for cruelty to birds in Maine depend on how it is classified — from a Class D Crime up to a Class C Crime — with the ranges set by 17-A M.R.S. § 1604; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.
Which Maine statute covers cruelty to birds?
Cruelty to birds is governed by 17 M.R.S. § 1032 (Cruelty to birds).
Legal terms used in this law
This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.