| Chapter 271 |
| 2025 -- S 0559 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 06/27/2025 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS |
Introduced By: Senators Dimitri, Appollonio, Tikoian, Bissaillon, Patalano, Ciccone, Burke, Murray, Urso, and Vargas |
| Date Introduced: February 26, 2025 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 4-1-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-1 entitled "Cruelty to |
| Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 4-1-9. Animal fighting. |
| Any person who causes or encourages the fighting of any bird, dog, or animal with any |
| other bird, dog, or animal, or keeps or maintains any place for the fighting of birds, dogs, or animals, |
| or who knowingly permits, or suffers, any fight to be had on his or herthe person’s premises or on |
| premises under his or herthe person’s control, or makes any bet or lays any wager of any kind |
| upon the result of that fight, shall be fined not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000) or be |
| imprisoned not exceeding two (2) years, or both, for the first offense, and for a second and any |
| subsequent offense shall be fined not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) nor more than five |
| thousand dollars ($5,000) or be imprisoned not exceeding two (2) five (5) years, or both. In |
| addition, every person convicted of a first offense shall be required to perform twenty (20) hours |
| of community service. Every person convicted of a subsequent offense shall be required to perform |
| fifty (50) hours of community service. The community service penalty shall not be suspended or |
| deferred. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC001233/SUB A |
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