2024 -- S 2305 | |
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LC004403 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS | |
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Introduced By: Senator Dawn M. Euer | |
Date Introduced: February 12, 2024 | |
Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Section 4-1-26 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-1 entitled "Cruelty to |
2 | Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 4-1-26. Abandonment of animals. |
4 | (a) If any person having possession and/or control of an animal abandons that animal on a |
5 | street, road, highway or in a public place or on private property or from a motor vehicle, or in a |
6 | dwelling or any other building or structure without providing for the care of that animal, he or she |
7 | shall be punished in the manner provided in § 4-1-2 for each such offense. If this abandonment |
8 | results in the death of the animal, the person shall be punished in the manner provided in § 4-1-5. |
9 | Abandonment means the relinquishment of all right, title, claim, or possession of the animal with |
10 | the intention of not reclaiming it or resuming its ownership or possession. |
11 | (b) Any pound or animal shelter as defined under § 4-19-2, shall deem abandoned any |
12 | animal impounded and not redeemed by its owner within ten (10) days of impoundment if such |
13 | animal is wearing identification. Any animal impounded and not wearing identification shall be |
14 | deemed abandoned if not redeemed by its owner within five (5) days of impoundment. Any animal |
15 | deemed abandoned shall become the property of the impounding agency and may be adopted. |
16 | (c) Any pound or animal shelter shall make a prompt and reasonable attempt to locate and |
17 | notify the owner of the impounded animal, including scanning the animal for a microchip. |
18 | (d) It shall not be considered abandonment, and the provisions of subsection (a) of this |
19 | section and of § 4-24-8 shall not apply to any person who traps unowned feral or free roaming cats, |
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1 | causes those cats to be spayed or neutered, and subsequently releases those cats, provided: |
2 | (1) Any medical or surgical procedures performed on those cats are performed by a licensed |
3 | veterinarian; and |
4 | (2) The cats are returned to the property where they were trapped. |
5 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC004403 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS | |
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1 | This act would provide that the trapping and subsequent release of any unowned feral or |
2 | free roaming cat for the purpose of spaying or neutering of the cat would not be considered |
3 | abandonment. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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