| Chapter 172 |
| 2018 -- H 7986 Enacted 07/02/2018 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS |
| Introduced By: Representatives O'Brien, Almeida, Williams, McEntee, and Ucci |
| Date Introduced: March 22, 2018 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 4-1-37 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-1 entitled "Cruelty to |
| Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 4-1-37. Immunity from suit. |
| Any person entrusted with the care and custody of an animal, including, but not limited |
| to, any Rhode Island licensed veterinarian, veterinarian technician, animal shelter, or animal |
| kennel, shall be held harmless from either criminal or civil liability arising out of any reports, |
| either oral or written, made to local and/or state police, animal control officials, or officers of |
| private organizations devoted to humane treatment of animals, concerning any animal that the |
| veterinarian knows, or reasonably believed, to be abandoned, neglected, or abused, and shall be |
| immune from suit by reason of making the report. Provided, however, that a veterinarian who |
| participates or reports in bad faith or with malice shall not be protected under the provisions of |
| this section chapter. |
| SECTION 2. Chapter 4-1 of the General Laws entitled "Cruelty to Animals" is hereby |
| amended by adding thereto the following section: |
| 4-1-26.1. Reports of abandoned, neglected or abused animals. |
| (a) Any Rhode Island licensed veterinarian, veterinarian technician, animal shelter, |
| animal kennel, or other person entrusted with the care or custody of an animal shall report to any |
| police department (local or state), animal control officials, or officers of private organizations |
| devoted to the humane treatment of animals, the condition of any animal that the parties entrusted |
| with care or custody of an animal knows, or reasonably believes, to be abandoned, as defined in § |
| 4-1-26, neglected, or abused, and shall be immune from suit pursuant to the provisions of § 4-1- |
| 37. Any party who fails to report pursuant to this section shall be fined not exceeding five |
| hundred dollars ($500). |
| (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to impose a duty to further investigate |
| observed or reasonably suspected animal abandonment, cruel neglect, or abuse. |
| SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC005214 |
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