Chapter 232
2013 -- H 5494 SUBSTITUTE B
Enacted 07/11/13
A N A C T
RELATING TO
ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
Introduced
By: Representatives DeSimone, Ackerman,
Date Introduced: February 14, 2013
It is enacted by the
General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Sections 4-1-1 and 4-1-3 of the General Laws in
Chapter 4-1 entitled
"Cruelty to
Animals" are hereby amended to read as follows:
4-1-1.
Definitions -- Responsibility for agents and employees. --
(a) In this chapter and
in sections 4-4-9, 4-4-10, and 23-19-8:
(1) "Animal"
and "animals" means every living creature except a human being;
(2) "Licensed
graduate veterinarian" or "veterinarian" means a person licensed
to engage
in the practice of veterinary medicine, surgery, and
dentistry in this state who is a graduate of an
accredited veterinary medical, surgical, and dental school or
college of a standard recognized by
the
(3) "Owner",
"person", and "whoever" means corporations as well as
individuals.
(4)
"Guardian" shall mean a person(s) having the same rights and
responsibilities of an
owner, and both terms shall be used interchangeably. A
guardian shall also mean a person who
possesses, has title to or an interest in, harbors or has
control, custody or possession of an animal
and who is responsible for an animal's safety and
well-being.
(5) Except for
livestock as defined in subsection 4-26-3(7), "adequate living
conditions"
shall mean a sanitary environment which is dry and free of
accumulated feces and free of debris
and garbage that may clutter the environment, pose a
danger or entangle the animal. The
environment in which the animal is kept must be consistent with
federal regulatory requirements,
where applicable or generally recognized professional
standards, where applicable, or otherwise
be of sufficient size so as not to inhibit comfortable
rest, normal posture or range of movement,
and suitable to maintain the animal in a good state of
health. "Adequate living conditions" for
livestock as defined in subsection 4-26-3(7) shall mean best
management practices established,
no later than July 1, 2014, by the
council.
(b) The knowledge and
acts of agents of and persons employed by corporations in regard
to animals transported, owned or employed by or in the
custody of that corporation are held to be
the acts and knowledge of that corporation.
4-1-3. Unnecessary cruelty. -- (a) Every
owner, possessor, or person having the charge
or custody of any animal, who cruelly drives or works
that animal when unfit for labor, or cruelly
abandons that animal, or who carries that animal or who
fails to provide that animal with
adequate living conditions as defined in section 4-1-1, or causes that animal to be carried, in or
upon any vehicle or otherwise in a cruel or inhuman
manner, or willfully, intentionally,
maliciously, recklessly, and/or knowingly authorizes or permits that animal to be subjected to
unnecessary torture, suffering or cruelty of any kind, or who
places or causes to have placed on
any animal any substance that may produce irritation or
pain, or that is declared a hazardous
substance by the
punished for each offense in the manner provided in section
4-1-2.
(b) The substances
proscribed by subsection (a) do not include any drug having curative
and therapeutic effect for disease in animals and which
is prepared and intended for veterinary
use.
(c) University,
college or hospital research facilities licensed and/or inspected by the
Department of Agriculture or the
human services shall be exempt from the provisions of
subsection (a) provided that they are in
good standing with the federal agency responsible for
licensing or assurance of the facility.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
=======
LC01282/SUB B
=======