united-states oregon animals use-of-force
What amount of force, if any, can be used to prevent animal abuse?
<p>What amount of physical force, if any, can be used to prevent animal abuse (a dog's owner hitting the dog, with a minor present) in Oregon? Is it legal to restrain the owner? Take the dog to a safe area?</p>

<p>If someone attacks your dog, or the dog of a third person, you may use force to defend property rights, see <a href="https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_161.205" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ORS 161.205</a> and <a href="https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_161.229" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ORS 161.229</a>. This does not apply to a person attacking their own animal. Force may also be used to effect an arrest by a private person (<a href="https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_133.225" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ORS 133.225</a>) – you &quot;may arrest another person for any crime committed in the presence of the private person if the private person has probable cause to believe the arrested person committed the crime&quot;. You would need to study up on <a href="https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_167.320" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ORS 167.320</a>. Assuming that the abuse is less than causing death, for first degree animal abuse, it is when one &quot;causes serious physical injury to an animal&quot;. The child actually becomes relevant because the misdemeanor becomes a felony when</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The person knowingly commits the animal abuse in the immediate
presence of a minor child. For purposes of this paragraph, a minor
child is in the immediate presence of animal abuse if the abuse is
seen or directly perceived in any other manner by the minor child.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So in fact, <em>no</em> amount of force can legally be used to prevent a person from hitting their dog. Force can be used to <em>arrest</em> a person (which prevents any further beating), if the person causes serious physical injury to the dog.</p>
