NC S254

Upgrades the penalty for maliciously killing an animal by intentional deprivation of necessary sustenance from a Class A1 misdemeanor to a Class H felony.

Increases the penalty for maliciously torturing, mutilating, maiming, cruelly beating, disfiguring, poisoning, or killing any animal from a Class I felony to a Class H felony.

Excludes cockfighting offenses from these penalty increases, leaving penalties under G.S. 14-362 unchanged.

Becomes effective December 1, 2010, and applies only to offenses committed on or after that date.