Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-247 a person who does any of the follwing is guilty of animal cruelty:

• Overdrives, overworks, tortures, deprives of necessary sustenance, mutilates or cruelly beats or kills or unjustifiably injures any animal; or
• who, having impounded or confined any animal, fails to give such animal proper care or neglects to cage or restrain any such animal from doing injury to itself or to another animal; or
• fails to supply any such animal with wholesome air, food and water; or
• unjustifiably administers any poisonous or noxious drug or substance to any domestic animal; or
• having charge or custody of any animal, inflicts cruelty upon it; or
• fails to provide it with proper food, drink or protection from the weather or abandons it; or
• carries it or causes it to be carried in a cruel manner; or
• fights with or baits, harasses or worries any animal for the purpose of making it perform for amusement, diversion or exhibition.

Cruelty to animals is either a misdemeanor or felony with a fine up to $1000 and/or imprisonment up to 1 year.  Intentionally and maliciously torturing or injuring an animal is either a misdemeanor or felony with a fine up to $5000 and/or imprisonment up to 5 years.  Farming, hunting, research and veterinary care are exemptions.