1. 1. Subject to subsection 2 of this section, any person who violates sections 578.600 to 578.624 is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Any person who fails to obtain a permit as required by sections 578.600 to 578.624 is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Any person who intentionally releases a large carnivore except to the care, custody, and control of another person is guilty of a class D felony. In addition, a person who violates sections 578.600 to 578.624 may be punished by one or more of the following:

   1. (1) Community service work for not more than five hundred hours;
   2. (2) The loss of privileges to own or possess any animal.
2. 2. Subsection 1 of this section does not apply to a law enforcement officer, animal control officer, qualified veterinarian, or department of agriculture employee with respect to the performance of the duties of a law enforcement officer, animal control officer, qualified veterinarian, or department of agriculture employee under sections 578.600 to 578.624.

(L. 2010 S.B. 795)

*This section was amended by S.B. 491, 2014, effective 1-01-17. Due to the delayed effective date, both versions of this section are printed here.