2013 -- H 5494 | |
======= | |
LC01282 | |
======= | |
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
| |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
| |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013 | |
| |
____________ | |
| |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY | |
|
      |
|
      |
     Introduced By: Representatives DeSimone, Ackerman, Lima, Fellela, and Shekarchi | |
     Date Introduced: February 14, 2013 | |
     Referred To: House Judiciary | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1-1 |
     SECTION 1. Section 4-1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-1 entitled "Cruelty to |
1-2 |
Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
1-3 |
     4-1-3. Unnecessary cruelty. -- (a) Every owner, possessor, or person having the charge |
1-4 |
or custody of any animal, who cruelly drives or works that animal when unfit for labor, or cruelly |
1-5 |
abandons that animal, or who carries that animal or who fails to provide that animal with |
1-6 |
adequate living conditions as defined in subsection (c), or causes that animal to be carried, in or |
1-7 |
upon any vehicle or otherwise in a cruel or inhuman manner, or willfully, intentionally, |
1-8 |
maliciously, recklessly, and/or knowingly authorizes or permits that animal to be subjected to |
1-9 |
unnecessary torture, suffering or cruelty of any kind, or who places or causes to have placed on |
1-10 |
any animal any substance that may produce irritation or pain, or that is declared a hazardous |
1-11 |
substance by the U.S. food and drug administration or by the state department of health, shall be |
1-12 |
punished for each offense in the manner provided in section 4-1-2. |
1-13 |
      (b) The substances proscribed by subsection (a) do not include any drug having curative |
1-14 |
and therapeutic effect for disease in animals and which is prepared and intended for veterinary |
1-15 |
use. |
1-16 |
     (c) For purposes of this chapter, "adequate living conditions" means a sanitary |
1-17 |
environment which is dry and free of accumulated feces and free of debris and garbage that may |
1-18 |
clutter the environment, pose a danger or entangle the animal. The environment in which the |
1-19 |
animal is kept must be of sufficient size so as not to inhibit comfortable rest, normal posture or |
1-20 |
range of movement, and suitable to maintain the animal in a good state of health. |
2-1 |
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
      | |
======= | |
LC01282 | |
======= | |
EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY | |
*** | |
3-1 |
     This act would expand the meaning of unnecessary cruelty to one who willfully, |
3-2 |
intentionally, maliciously, recklessly and/or knowingly authorizes or permits that animal to be |
3-3 |
subjected to unnecessary torture, suffering or cruelty of any kind. This act would also defines |
3-4 |
“adequate living conditions” as used in the section. |
3-5 |
     This act would take effect upon passage. |
      | |
======= | |
LC01282 | |
======= |