A report of a dog crying in distress can constitute an emergency that justifies police entering a home without a warrant, a state appeals court ruled Thursday in upholding a Los Angeles County man’s conviction for animal cruelty.
In appealing Keith Chung’s conviction and 16-month prison sentence, his lawyer argued that officers may disregard the normal requirement that they obtain a search warrant only if a human life is at stake.
But the Second District Court of Appeal said that although pets are considered personal property, protecting them is a legitimate government concern.