A.    Any person who overrides, overdrives, overloads, tortures, ill-treats or cruelly or unnecessarily beats, maims, mutilates or kills any animal, whether belonging to himself or another, or deprives any animal of necessary sustenance, food or drink or causes any of the above things or, being the owner of such animal, permits such acts to be done by another or willfully sets on foot, instigates, engages in, or in any way furthers an act of cruelty to any animal or shall carry or cause to be carried in or upon any vehicle or vessel or otherwise any animal in cruel, brutal or inhuman manner so as to produce torture or unnecessary suffering shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, but nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the dehorning of cattle.

B.    The word "animal" as used in this section, shall be construed to include birds and fowls.