A. Any person who, with intent to deprive or defraud the owner thereof, does any of the following shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor and shall be punished as prescribed under YMC 6.02.050(B) and by a mandatory fine of not less than five hundred dollars per pet animal except as provided by subsection (A)(4) of this section:

1. Takes, leads away, confines, secretes or converts any pet animal, except in cases in which the value of the pet animal exceeds two hundred fifty dollars;

2. Conceals the identity of any pet animal or its owner by obscuring, altering, or removing from the pet animal any collar, tag, license, tattoo, or other identifying device or mark;

3. Willfully or recklessly kills or injures any pet animal, unless excused by law;

4. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a person from also being convicted of separate offenses under RCW 9A.56.030, 9A.56.040, 9A.56.050, or equivalent local ordinance for theft or under RCW 9A.56.150, 9A.56.160, 9A.56.170, or equivalent local ordinance for possession of stolen property.

B. The sale, receipt, or transfer of each individual pet animal in violation of this section constitutes a separate offense.

C. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the lawful acts of any employees, agent, or director of any humane society, animal control agency, or animal shelter operated by or on behalf of any government agency, operating under law. (Ord. 2001-30 § 7, 2001).