| Chapter 080 |
| 2024 -- S 2744 Enacted 06/12/2024 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS |
Introduced By: Senators Ruggerio, LaMountain, Kallman, Euer, Valverde, and Murray |
| Date Introduced: March 08, 2024 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 4-13-42 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-13 entitled "Dogs" is |
| hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 4-13-42. Care of dogs. |
| (a) It shall be a violation of this section for an owner or keeper to: |
| (1) Keep any dog on a permanent tether that restricts movement of the tethered dog to an |
| area less than one hundred thirteen square feet (113 sq. ft.), or less than a six foot (6′) radius at |
| ground level. |
| (2) Tether a dog with a choke-type collar, head collar, or prong-type collar. The weight of |
| any chain or tether shall not exceed one-eighth (⅛) of the dog’s total body weight. |
| (3) Keep any dog tethered for more than ten (10) hours during a twenty-four-hour (24) |
| period or keep any dog confined in an area or primary enclosure for more than fourteen (14) hours |
| during any twenty-four-hour (24) period, and more than ten (10) hours during a twenty-four-hour |
| (24) period, if the area is not greater than that which is required under the most recently adopted |
| version of the department of environmental management’s rules and regulations governing animal |
| care facilities. |
| (4) Tether a dog anytime from the hours of ten o’clock p.m. (10:00 p.m.) to six o’clock |
| a.m. (6:00 a.m.), except for a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes. |
| (5) Keep any dog outside, either tethered or otherwise confined, when the ambient |
| temperature is beyond the industry standard for the weather safety scale as set forth in the most |
| recent adopted version of the Tufts Animal Care and Condition Weather Safety Scale (TACC). |
| (b) It shall be a violation of this section for an owner or keeper to fail to provide a dog with |
| adequate feed, adequate water, or adequate veterinary care as those terms are defined in § 4-19-2; |
| provided however, that adequate veterinary care may be provided by an owner using acceptable |
| animal husbandry practices. |
| (c) Exposing any dog to adverse weather conditions strictly for the purpose of conditioning |
| shall be prohibited. |
| (d) The provisions of this section, as they relate to the duration and timeframe of tethering |
| or confinement, shall not apply: |
| (1) If the tethering or confinement is authorized for medical reasons in writing by a |
| veterinarian licensed in Rhode Island, the authorization is renewed annually, and shelter is |
| provided; |
| (2) If tethering or confinement is authorized in writing by an animal control officer, or duly |
| sworn police officer assigned to the animal control division, for the purposes of, including, but not |
| limited to, hunting dogs, dogs protecting livestock, and sled dogs. Written authorization must be |
| renewed annually. The written authorization issued by an animal control officer or duly sworn |
| police officer assigned to the animal control division in the political subdivision of the state where |
| the dogs are kept shall be considered valid in every other political subdivision of the state. The |
| written authorization issued by an animal control officer or duly sworn police officer assigned to |
| the animal control division in the political subdivision of the state where the dogs are kept is |
| revocable by that animal control officer or police officer if there are any conditions present that |
| warrant revocation. The conditions include, but are not limited to, changes in the number or type |
| of dogs, changes in the facility structure or safety, and changes in the health of the dog; |
| (3) To any entity licensed by the state pursuant to chapter 19 of title 4, or any veterinary |
| facility; or |
| (4) [Deleted by P.L. 2018, ch. 118, § 1 and P.L. 2018, ch. 198, § 1.] |
| (5) [Deleted by P.L. 2018, ch. 118, § 1 and P.L. 2018, ch. 198, § 1.] |
| (6) To an exhibitor holding a class C license under the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. § |
| 2133) that are temporarily in the state, if authorized by the department of environmental |
| management (DEM). |
| (7) [Deleted by P.L. 2018, ch. 118, § 1 and P.L. 2018, ch. 198, § 1.] |
| (e) Any person in violation of this section shall be imprisoned not exceeding eleven (11) |
| months, or fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) one hundred dollars ($100) nor exceeding five |
| hundred dollars ($500) one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both. Each day of violation shall constitute |
| a separate offense. |
| (f) General agents or special agents of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of |
| Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA) are hereby authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter in |
| cooperation with animal control officers and the department of environmental management (DEM). |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC005657 |
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