CRUELTY TO LIVESTOCK ANIM NEGLECT/OVERWORKTexas Penal Code (PC) § 42.09(c)
“CRUELTY TO LIVESTOCK ANIM NEGLECT/OVERWORK” stands for Cruelty to Livestock Animals: Neglect or Overwork, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 42.09(c). It is punishable by up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000.
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “CRUELTY TO LIVESTOCK ANIM NEGLECT/OVERWORK” mean?
“CRUELTY TO LIVESTOCK ANIM NEGLECT/OVERWORK” stands for Cruelty to Livestock Animals: Neglect or Overwork, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas PC § 42.09(c).
Cruelty to livestock animals, Texas Penal Code § 42.09, governs animals the statute defines as livestock — cattle, sheep, swine, goats, ratites (such as emus and ostriches), poultry commonly raised for human consumption, horses, ponies, mules, donkeys, and other hoofstock or fowl raised under agricultural practices. This charge reflects the Class A misdemeanor grouping in § 42.09(c), labeled on court records as neglect or overwork. The State must prove the person intentionally or knowingly did one of the following: failed unreasonably to provide necessary food, water, or care for a livestock animal in the person's custody; abandoned unreasonably a livestock animal in the person's custody; transported or confined a livestock animal in a cruel and unusual manner; or seriously overworked a livestock animal. These forms are distinguished from the statute's felony variants, such as torturing a livestock animal or administering poison.
What usually happens to a CRUELTY TO LIVESTOCK ANIM NEGLECT/OVERWORK charge?
57% ended without a conviction, 18% in deferred adjudication and 25% in a conviction.
How 28 resolved CRUELTY TO LIVESTOCK ANIM NEGLECT/OVERWORK charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 10 counties (Bell, Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Denton, FortBend, Galveston, Montgomery, Rockwall, Williamson):
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (0) 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 TO LIVESTOCK ANIM NEGLECT/OVERWORK case take to resolve?
Typically about 11 months: half of resolved cases closed within 343 days of filing.
Across 27 resolved CRUELTY TO LIVESTOCK ANIM NEGLECT/OVERWORK charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 343 days. The middle half took between 209 and 691 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real CRUELTY TO LIVESTOCK ANIM NEGLECT/OVERWORK 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 Livestock Animals: Neglect or Overwork in Texas?
Up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A misdemeanor | Up to 1 year in county jail | Fine up to $4,000 | Penal Code § 12.21 |
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 TO LIVESTOCK ANIM NEGLECT/OVERWORK in Texas?
The median bail is $3,500, and 24% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 760 Texas bail settings for this charge (5 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $3,500 (middle half: $2,000 – $7,500). 24% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 10 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (251 records), the median was $3,000 and 23% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis | 220 | $3,000 | $2,500 – $4,000 | 61% | 0% |
| Bexar | 86 | $4,000 | $2,500 – $5,000 | 1% | 8% |
| Anderson | 64 | $1,500 | $1,500 – $7,500 | 0% | 0% |
| Brazoria | 35 | $25,000 | $21,250 – $25,000 | 0% | 3% |
| Nueces | 30 | $1,000 | $1,000 – $1,000 | 0% | 0% |
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.
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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.