CRUELTY NON-LIVESTK ANIM:KILL/POISON/SBITexas Penal Code (PC) § 42.092(c-1)
“CRUELTY NON-LIVESTK ANIM:KILL/POISON/SBI” stands for Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animals: Killing, Poisoning or Seriously Injuring, a third-degree felony under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 42.092(c-1). It is punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “CRUELTY NON-LIVESTK ANIM:KILL/POISON/SBI” mean?
“CRUELTY NON-LIVESTK ANIM:KILL/POISON/SBI” stands for Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animals: Killing, Poisoning or Seriously Injuring, a third-degree felony under Texas PC § 42.092(c-1).
Cruelty to nonlivestock animals, Texas Penal Code § 42.092, protects domesticated animals — including stray or feral cats and dogs — and wild creatures that have previously been captured; livestock is covered by a separate statute. This charge reflects the felony grading in § 42.092(c-1) and the court-record label 'kill/poison/serious bodily injury.' The State must prove that the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly either tortured an animal or in a cruel manner killed or caused serious bodily injury to an animal, or, without the owner's effective consent, killed, administered poison to, or caused serious bodily injury to an animal. These kill, poison, torture, and serious-injury forms are the statute's most serious conduct, distinguishing this third-degree felony charge from the Class A misdemeanor forms of the same statute, such as neglect, abandonment, cruel transport, or overworking.
What usually happens to a CRUELTY NON-LIVESTK ANIM:KILL/POISON/SBI charge?
28% ended without a conviction, 33% in deferred adjudication and 35% in a conviction.
How 108 resolved CRUELTY NON-LIVESTK ANIM:KILL/POISON/SBI charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 12 counties (Bastrop, Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Dallas, FortBend, Galveston, Hays, Montgomery, Rockwall, Travis, Williamson):
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (4) covers waived counts, bond forfeitures, transfers and unrecorded outcomes. Bexar County records disposition dates but not outcomes, so it counts toward time-to-disposition only. Tarrant County criminal records are not in this dataset.
How long does a CRUELTY NON-LIVESTK ANIM:KILL/POISON/SBI case take to resolve?
Typically about 11 months: half of resolved cases closed within 348 days of filing.
Across 108 resolved CRUELTY NON-LIVESTK ANIM:KILL/POISON/SBI charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 348 days. The middle half took between 187 and 580 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real CRUELTY NON-LIVESTK ANIM:KILL/POISON/SBI cases end?
Individual cases from the public court record, with the disposition and sentence text exactly as the clerk entered it. Every case is decided on its own facts.
Ended without a conviction
Deferred adjudication
Ended in a conviction
What is the punishment for Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animals: Killing, Poisoning or Seriously Injuring in Texas?
2 to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third-degree felony | 2 to 10 years in prison (TDCJ) | Fine up to $10,000 | Penal Code § 12.34 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
How much is bail for CRUELTY NON-LIVESTK ANIM:KILL/POISON/SBI in Texas?
The median bail is $10,000, and 5% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 1,776 Texas bail settings for this charge (11 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $10,000 (middle half: $5,000 – $20,000). 5% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 103 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (650 records), the median was $10,000 and 10% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrant | 353 | $5,000 | $3,000 – $10,000 | 1% | 4% |
| El Paso | 164 | $5,000 | $4,000 – $15,000 | 10% | 9% |
| Anderson | 86 | $15,000 | $7,500 – $50,000 | 0% | 0% |
| Dallas | 84 | $10,000 | $5,000 – $25,000 | 0% | 1% |
| Fort Bend | 83 | $25,000 | $10,000 – $75,000 | 0% | 39% |
Showing the 5 counties with the most records; use the selector for any county with at least 30. Per-charge bond settings on original magistrations, from Texas OCA bail reporting under SB 6. Bail is set case by case — these are statistics, not a prediction.
Charged with CRUELTY NON-LIVESTK ANIM:KILL/POISON/SBI?
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Find a Defense AttorneyBail data: Texas Office of Court Administration magistration reports (SB 6), Apr 2022 – Jun 2025. Court outcomes: county district and county clerk records. Statistics describe past cases and are not legal advice; every case is decided on its own facts.