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2012 -- H 7139 SUBSTITUTE A | |
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LC00546/SUB A/2 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012 | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY - ANIMAL ADVOCATE | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Petrarca, Winfield, Keable, and Azzinaro | |
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Date Introduced: January 17, 2012 | |
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Referred To: House Judiciary | |
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It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
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SECTION 1. Section 4-1-31 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-1 entitled "Cruelty to |
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Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
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4-1-31. Assignment of state veterinarian. -- (a) Examination of fighting animals. - A |
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licensed veterinarian from the department of environmental management, shall be made available |
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to agents of the Rhode Island society for the prevention of cruelty to animals at the request of the |
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state police for the purpose of examining any animal which those agents believe to have been |
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involved in animal fighting in violation of section 4-1-2, 4-1-8, 4-1-9 or 4-1-11. |
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(b) Right of entry where cruelty suspected. - The director of the department of |
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environmental management or any veterinarian employed by the department of environmental |
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management designated by the director for such purpose, having reason to suspect the existence |
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of cruelty to animals within the meaning of this chapter upon any grounds or premises, is hereby |
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authorized and empowered to enter upon those grounds or premises for enforcement of the |
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provisions of this chapter. For such inspections, the department shall, unless a search without a |
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warrant is otherwise allowed by law, seek a search warrant from an official of a court authorized |
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to issue warrants. |
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(c) The director of the department of environmental management may designate a |
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department veterinarian or veterinarians to act as animal advocates. A general agent or special |
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agent from the Rhode Island society for the prevention of cruelty to animals may also act in that |
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capacity. |
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(d) The animal advocate shall make recommendations to any court before which the |
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custody or well-being of an animal is at issue. |
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(e) Any animal care facility licensed by the United States department of agriculture or |
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holding a public health service (PHS) assurance of compliance shall be exempt from the |
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provisions of this section. |
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC00546/SUB A/2 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
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BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
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OF | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY - ANIMAL ADVOCATE | |
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This act would allow state DEM veterinarians and/or a general or special agent from the |
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Rhode Island SPCA to act as advocates for animals which are the subject of court actions. |
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This act would also exempt animal care facilities licensed by the United States |
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department of agriculture or holding a public health service assurance of compliance from the |
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provisions of this section. |
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This act would take effect upon passage. |
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