Hi, Melissa...
[In a nutshell, it looks like you should contact the sheriff of the
county in which the Petland store is.]
I found this at http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stuswvst61_8_19.htm
in regards to West Virginia:
West Virginia
Chapter 61. Crimes and Their Punishment. Article 8. Crimes Against
Chastity, Morality and Decency. Chapter 7. County Commissions and
Officers. Article
10. Humane Officers
Citation: WV ST Sec 7-10-1 - 5; 61-8-19 - 23
Citation: W. Va. Code, Sec 7-10-1 - 5; 61-8-19 - 23
Summary: These West Virginia statutes comprise the state's anti-cruelty
and animal fighting provisions. If any person cruelly mistreats,
abandons or withholds proper sustenance, including food, water, shelter
or medical treatment, necessary to sustain normal health and fitness or
to end suffering or abandons any animal to die, or uses, trains or
possesses any domesticated animal for the purpose of seizing, detaining
or maltreating any other domesticated animal, he or she is guilty of a
misdemeanor. If any person intentionally tortures or maliciously kills
an animal, or causes, procures or authorizes any other person to
torture or maliciously kill an animal, he or she is guilty of a felony.
The provisions of this section do not apply to lawful acts of hunting,
fishing, trapping or animal training or farm livestock, poultry, gaming
fowl or wildlife kept in private or licensed game farms if kept and
maintained according to usual and accepted standards of livestock,
poultry, gaming fowl or wildlife or game farm production and
management. The section also prohibits animal fighting as a misdemeanor
unless the animals involved were wild game or fur-bearing animals, in
which case it becomes a felony.
Statute in Full:
Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers.
Article 10. Humane Officers
Sec 7-10-1. Deputy sheriffs as humane officers
The sheriff of each county of this state shall annually designate, by
a record made in the office of the clerk of the county commission, one
of his or her deputies to act as humane officer of the county; or, if
the county commission and sheriff agree, the county dog warden may be
designated to act as the humane officer or as an additional humane
officer; any person designated to act as a humane officer and all peace
officers designated by law as a humane officer or an additional humane
officer shall investigate all complaints made to him or her of cruel
or inhumane treatment of animals within the county and he or she shall
personally see that the law relating to the prevention of cruelty to
animals is enforced. The wilful failure of such designee to investigate
any complaint made to him or her and to take proper measures in such
case or to perform his or her duty in any other respect may constitute
good cause for removal from employment.
Acts 1901, c. 4; Acts 1919, c. 118, Sec 14a; Acts 1923, c. 47, Sec 14a;
Acts 1989, c. 44; Acts 1992, c. 102.
Tracy Tye Stephens
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http://www.gcfa.com
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[Posted in FML 6146]
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