1678

(a) In all cases in which a person is accused of domestic violence or child abuse, the court shall, by petition of party, issue a protection order for the petitioner so that he/she be the sole custodian of the animal. The court shall order the accused to keep far away from the animal and prohibit contact of any kind.\n(b) A violation of the protection order shall be considered to be a fourth-degree felony.\n(1) If upon conviction, the accused qualifies and avails him/herself of serving time on probation or of any alternative method other than jail imprisonment, the punishment shall entail a mandatory fine ranging from one thousand [dollars] ($1,000) to three thousand dollars ($3,000).\nHistory —Aug. 4, 2008, No. 154, § 2.15.