Nebraska Revised Statutes Chapter 28. Crimes and Punishments § 28-1020. Animal abandonment, cruel neglect, or cruel mistreatment; report required by animal health care professional; immunity from liability

(1) Any animal health care professional, while acting in his or her professional capacity or within the scope of his or her employment, who observes or is involved in an incident which leads the animal health care professional to reasonably suspect that an animal has been abandoned, cruelly neglected, or cruelly mistreated, shall report such treatment to an entity that investigates such reports in the appropriate jurisdiction.

(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to impose a duty to investigate observed or reasonably suspected abandonment, cruel neglect, or cruel mistreatment of an animal. Any person making a report under this section is immune from liability except for false statements of fact made with malicious intent.

(3) For purposes of this section, an animal health care professional means a licensed veterinarian as defined in section 38-3310 or a licensed veterinary technician as defined in section 38-3311.