| Chapter 456 |
| 2025 -- S 1145 Enacted 07/05/2025 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS |
Introduced By: Senator Melissa A. Murray |
| Date Introduced: June 06, 2025 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 4-1-26 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-1 entitled "Cruelty to |
| Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 4-1-26. Abandonment of animals. |
| (a) If any person having possession and/or control of an animal abandons that animal on a |
| street, road, highway, or in a public place or on private property or from a motor vehicle, or in a |
| dwelling or any other building or structure without providing for the care of that animal, he or |
| shethe person shall be punished in the manner provided in § 4-1-2 for each such offense. If this |
| abandonment results in the death of the animal, the person shall be punished in the manner provided |
| in § 4-1-5. Abandonment means the relinquishment of all right, title, claim, or possession of the |
| animal with the intention of not reclaiming it or resuming its ownership or possession. |
| (b) Any pound or animal shelter as defined under § 4-19-2, shall deem abandoned any |
| animal impounded and not redeemed by its owner within ten (10) days of impoundment if such |
| animal is wearing identification. Any animal impounded and not wearing identification shall be |
| deemed abandoned if not redeemed by its owner within five (5) days of impoundment. Any animal |
| deemed abandoned shall become the property of the impounding agency and may be adopted. |
| (c) Any pound or animal shelter shall make a prompt and reasonable attempt to locate and |
| notify the owner of the impounded animal, including scanning the animal for a microchip. |
| (d) It shall not be considered abandonment, and the provisions of subsection (a) of this |
| section and of § 4-24-8 shall not apply to any person who traps unowned feral or free roaming cats, |
| causes those cats to be spayed or neutered, and subsequently releases those cats, provided: |
| (1) Any medical or surgical procedures performed on those cats are performed by a licensed |
| veterinarian; and |
| (2) The cats are returned to the property where they were trapped. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC003048 |
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