| Chapter 050 |
| 2026 -- H 7562 Enacted 06/10/2026 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS |
Introduced By: Representatives Dawson, and O'Brien |
| Date Introduced: February 06, 2026 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 4-1-22 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-1 entitled "Cruelty to |
| Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 4-1-22. Care of neglected animals by society — Forfeiture of owner’s rights — |
| Expenses. |
| (a) An animal control officer of a city or town, or an officer or agent of the Rhode Island |
| Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals may lawfully take charge of and shall provide |
| adequate care to any animal found abandoned or neglected or hazardously accumulated as defined |
| in § 4-1-1, or that in the opinion of that officer or agent, is aged, maimed, disabled, lame, sick, |
| diseased, injured, unfit for the labor it is performing, or cruelly treated, and shall give notice to the |
| owner or guardian, if known. |
| (b) Every owner or guardian, upon conviction, plea of guilty, or plea of nolo contendere, |
| of abandonment, neglect, hazardous accumulation as defined in § 4-1-1, or otherwise cruel |
| treatment of any animal taken charge of by an animal control officer of a city or town, or an agent |
| of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals under this section, forfeits the |
| rights to ownership or control of that animal to the Society for disposition in any manner deemed |
| suitable for that animal. |
| (c) Whenever any animal control officer of a city or town, or an officer or agent of the |
| Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals lawfully takes charge of any animal |
| under this section, all reasonable expenses for the care and treatment of the animal(s), while in the |
| custody of the city or town animal shelter, or the Society during this time, shall be paid for by the |
| owner or guardian. The city or town animal shelter, or the Society has the authority to commence |
| a civil action for damages against the owner or guardian thirty (30) days after a written demand for |
| payment of the expense of the suitable care of that animal has been sent and no payment has been |
| received. The written demand shall state that the failure to pay or make arrangements to pay for the |
| care of that animal may result in forfeiture of ownership of the animal. The cost of the care and |
| treatment that is billed to the owner or guardian shall be reasonable and related to equivalent |
| services provided by veterinary care and animal sheltering, feeding, and boarding services in this |
| state. |
| (d) The owner or guardian of any animal that is in the charge of the city or town animal |
| shelter, or the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals pursuant to the |
| authority granted in this section may, within sixty (60) days following the date that the society city |
| or town animal shelter, or the Society gives notice of the taking of possession of the animal, petition |
| the district court for an order to return custody of the animal to the owner or guardian. |
| (e) Upon the filing of the petition, the court shall cause a summons to be issued requiring |
| an authorized representative of the city or town animal shelter, or the Society for the Prevention of |
| Cruelty to Animals to appear in court at the time and place named, which summons shall be served |
| not less than fourteen (14) days before the date of the hearing. |
| (f) At the hearing on the petition, the court shall consider: |
| (1) The animal’s condition; |
| (2) The care required to maintain the animal safely and in an appropriate environment; and |
| (3) The ability of the petitioner to provide or arrange for the adequate care of the animal, |
| including during the time any criminal charges related to or arising from the seizure are pending. |
| (g) If, after hearing, the court finds that the owner or guardian of the animal has the ability |
| to properly care for or arrange for the adequate care of the animal during the pendency of the |
| criminal charges, the court may allow the owner or guardian of the animal to have or arrange for |
| the adequate care, custody, and control of the animal pending the final determination of the related |
| criminal charges subject to such restrictions and conditions as the court determines to be reasonable |
| or necessary. |
| (h) All issues will be decided upon a preponderance of the evidence. |
| (i) In the event that the court orders an animal returned to the owner or guardian following |
| the hearing, the owner or guardian will not be required to pay for the cost of care incurred prior to |
| the date of the hearing unless and until such time as there has been a conviction, plea of guilty, or |
| plea of nolo contendere, of abandonment, neglect, hazardous accumulation as defined in § 4-1-1, |
| or otherwise cruel treatment in the related criminal proceeding. |
| (j) In the event that the owner or guardian fails to petition for custody of the animal within |
| sixty (60) days of notice of the taking or fails to pay within sixty (60) days of the written demand |
| for payment, the city or town animal shelter, or the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of |
| Cruelty to Animals may petition the court for transfer of ownership of the animal to the city or town |
| animal shelter, or the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. If the owner |
| or guardian fails to respond to the petition for transfer of ownership the court shall transfer |
| ownership to the society Society. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC005009 |
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