<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 5-14. - Health and welfare.</div>
<div class="chunk-content">
            <p class="p0">
               It shall be unlawful for any person to molest, torture, deprive of necessary sustenance,
               cruelly beat, needlessly mutilate or kill, wound, injure, poison, abandon or subject
               to conditions detrimental to its health or general welfare any animal or to cause
               or procure such action. The term "torture," "torment" or "cruelty" shall be held to
               include every act, omission or neglect whereby unjustifiable physical pain, suffering
               or death is caused or permitted; but such terms shall not be construed to prohibit
               lawful shooting of birds, deer and other game for human food, nor to prohibit animal
               services or its agents or the humane society or veterinarians from destroying dangerous,
               unwanted, sickly or injured animals in a humane manner.
               </p>
            <p class="historynote0">
               (Code 1978, Â§ 3-14)
               </p>
            <p class="refstatelaw0" block_type="hang"><b>State Law referenceâ€” </b>
               Animal welfare act, G.S. 19A-20 et seq.
               </p></div>