47-421. Unlawful branding or defacing of brands; penalty; venue of prosecutions. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), any person who willfully brands or causes to be branded any livestock in any manner other than as required or authorized by the laws of this state and the rules and regulations of the animal health commissioner shall be deemed guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

(b) Any person who shall willfully and knowingly brand or cause to be branded with such person's brand, or any brand not the recorded brand of the owner, any livestock being the property of another, or who shall willfully or knowingly efface, deface or obliterate any brand upon any livestock, shall be deemed guilty of a nondrug severity level 6, nonperson felony.

(c) Prosecution for violation of the provisions of this section may be had either in the county where such violation occurred or in any county in which the livestock may be located or found in the possession of the accused.

History: L. 1939, ch. 222, § 8; L. 1945, ch. 227, § 1; L. 1990, ch. 309, § 33; L. 2016, ch. 51, § 9; July 1.