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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Edwards, Serpa, Bennett, Solomon, C Lima, Kazarian,
Casimiro, Baginski, and Alzate

     Date Introduced: January 12, 2022

     Referred To: House Health & Human Services

     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 animal

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

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

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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 subsection (a) of this

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section and of § 4-24-8 shall not apply to any person who traps unowned feral or free roaming cats,

 

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causes those cats to be spayed 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 licensed

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veterinarian; and

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

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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 -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

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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 would not be considered

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abandonment.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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