HRS §142-48
Illegal branding of someone else's animals and the penalty
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗This law makes it a crime to put your own brand or mark on an animal that belongs to someone else, or to put someone else's brand on an animal with the intent to steal it. If you do this, you can be charged with a serious felony and fined for each animal.
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The statute, as written — Prohibited branding or marking; penalty
A copy, taken August 20, 2026. The version published by the Legislature is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.
Any person who intentionally or knowingly places their own brand or mark on any kine, horse, mule, sheep, goat, or other cattle belonging to another or places the brand or mark of anyone other than the animal's owner with the intent to convert it to one's own use or to the use of another shall be guilty of a class C felony and, in addition to any other penalties imposed by the court, be fined not less than $1,000 for each kine, horse, mule, sheep, goat, or other cattle thus branded or marked. [PC 1869, c 25, §1; am L 1903, c 12, §1; RL 1925, §688; RL 1935, §266; RL 1945, §1075; RL 1955, §20-47; HRS §142-48; gen ch 1985 ; am L 2025, c 235, §18]
LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.