Colorado § 35-80-110 - Inspections - investigations - access - subpoena - duty to report suspected animal cruelty or animal fighting - immunity.

§ 35-80-110. Inspections - investigations - access - subpoena - duty to report suspected animal cruelty or animal fighting - immunity.

(1) The commissioner, upon the commissioner's own motion or upon the complaint of any person, may make any investigations necessary to ensure compliance with this article 80.

(2) Complaints of record made to the commissioner and the results of the commissioner's investigations may, at the discretion of the commissioner, be closed to public inspection, except to the person in interest, as defined in section 24-72-202 (4), or as provided by court order, during the investigatory period and until dismissed or until notice of hearing and charges are served on a licensee.

(3) At any reasonable time during regular business hours, the commissioner shall have free and unimpeded access upon consent or upon obtaining an administrative search warrant:

(a) To those portions of all buildings, yards, pens, and other areas in which any animals are kept, handled, or transported for the purpose of carrying out any provision of this article or any rule promulgated pursuant to this article; and

(b) To all records required to be kept and may make copies of such records for the purpose of carrying out any provision of this article or any rule promulgated pursuant to this article.

(3.5) After the denial, suspension, or revocation of a license for a pet animal facility, the commissioner shall have free and unimpeded access to the areas and records that are reasonably necessary to verify that operation of such a pet animal facility has ceased. The commissioner shall have such access upon consent or upon obtaining a search warrant to the following areas and records:

(a) To those portions of all buildings, yards, pens, and other areas in which animals are suspected of being kept, handled, or transported without the appropriate license; and

(b) To all records that are equivalent to those required to be kept for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this article. The commissioner may make copies of such records for the purpose of carrying out any provision of this article or any rule promulgated pursuant to this article.

(4) The commissioner may administer oaths and take statements; issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses before the commissioner and require the production of all books, memoranda, papers and other documents, articles, or instruments; and compel the disclosure by such witnesses of all facts known to them relative to the matters under investigation. Upon the failure or refusal of a witness to obey a subpoena, the commissioner may petition the district court, and, upon a proper showing, the court may enter an order compelling the witness to appear and testify or produce documentary evidence. Failure to obey such an order of the court is punishable as a contempt of court.

(5) (a) If the commissioner or the commissioner's designee, in the course of an investigation under this article, has reasonable cause to know or suspect that an animal has been subjected to animal cruelty in violation of section 18-9-202, C.R.S., or animal fighting in violation of section 18-9-204, C.R.S., the commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall report or cause a report to be made of the animal cruelty or animal fighting to a local law enforcement agency or the state bureau of animal protection created in section 35-42-105. The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall not knowingly make a false report.

(b) The mere filing of a complaint does not generate a requirement to report under paragraph (a) of this subsection (5).

(c) A commissioner or a commissioner's designee who willfully violates the provisions of this subsection (5) commits a petty offense, punishable as provided in section 18-1.3-503.

(d) (I) If the commissioner or the commissioner's designee reports in good faith a suspected incident of animal cruelty or animal fighting to the proper authorities in accordance with this subsection (5), the commissioner or the commissioner's designee is immune from liability in any civil or criminal action brought in connection with the report.

(II) In a civil or criminal action brought in connection with the report, the commissioner or the commissioner's designee is presumed to have acted in good faith.

Source: L. 94: Entire article added, p. 1307, § 8, effective July 1. L. 2000: (3.5) added, p. 1399, § 8, effective May 30. L. 2014: (5) added, (HB 14-1270), ch. 365, p. 1746, § 8, effective July 1. L. 2021: (5)(c) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 462, p. 3289, § 668, effective March 1, 2022. L. 2025: (1), (2), (4), and (5)(d)(I) amended, (HB 25-1084), ch. 24, p. 147, § 185, effective August 6.