2018 -- H 7171 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC003594/SUB A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Edwards, Canario, Serpa, Vella-Wilkinson, and
Coughlin

     Date Introduced: January 17, 2018

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 4-1-26 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-1 entitled "Cruelty to

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Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     4-1-26. Abandonment of animals.

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     (a) If any person having possession and/or control of an animal abandons that animal on a

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street, road, highway or in a public place or on private property or from a motor vehicle, or in a

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dwelling or any other building or structure without providing for the care of that animal, he or she

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shall be punished in the manner provided in § 4-1-2 for each such offense. If this abandonment

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results in the death of the animal, the person shall be punished in the manner provided in § 4-1-5.

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Abandonment means the relinquishment of all right, title, claim, or possession of the animal with

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the intention of not reclaiming it or resuming its ownership or possession.

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     (b) Any pound or animal shelter as defined under § 4-19-2, shall deem abandoned any

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animal impounded and not redeemed by its owner within ten (10) days of impoundment if such

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animal is wearing identification. Any animal impounded and not wearing identification shall be

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deemed abandoned if not redeemed by its owner within five (5) days of impoundment. Any

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animal deemed abandoned shall become the property of the impounding agency and may be

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adopted.

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     (c) Any pound or animal shelter shall make a prompt and reasonable attempt to locate

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and notify the owner of the impounded animal, including scanning the animal for a microchip.

 

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     (d) It shall not be considered abandonment and the provisions of § 4-1-26(a) shall not

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apply to any person who traps unowned feral or free roaming cats, causes those cats to be spayed

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or neutered, and subsequently releases those cats, provided:

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     (1) Any medical or surgical procedures performed on those cats are performed by a

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licensed veterinarian;

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     (2) The cats are returned to the property where they were trapped; and

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     (3) If the cats were trapped on private property, the person who is entering the private

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property shall have in their possession written permission from a person with authority to give

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such permission stating that they have been granted permission to enter the property for the

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purpose of trapping cats.

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     SECTION 2. Section 4-24-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-24 entitled "Permit

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Program for Cats" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     4-24-8. Abandonment of cats.

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     If any cat is abandoned by their owner or any person having charge or custody of that cat,

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that person shall, for each offense be punished in the manner provided in § 4-1-2, the provisions

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of § 4-1-26(a) notwithstanding.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

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     This act would provide that the trapping and subsequent release of any unowned feral or

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free roaming cat for the purpose of spaying or neutering of the cat shall not be considered

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abandonment.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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