2017 -- H 5875

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LC001984

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Edwards, Bennett, Serpa, Lima, and O'Brien

     Date Introduced: March 08, 2017

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 4-19-2 and 4-19-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-19 entitled

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"Animal Care" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     4-19-2. Definitions.

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     As used in this chapter, chapter 13 of this title, and the regulations promulgated under

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this chapter:

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     (1) "Adequate feed" means the provision at suitable intervals, not to exceed twenty-four

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(24) hours, of a quantity of wholesome foodstuff suitable for the species and age, sufficient to

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maintain a reasonable level of nutrition in each animal. The foodstuff shall be served in a

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sanitized receptacle, dish, or container.

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     (2) "Adequate water" means a constant access to a sufficient supply of clean, fresh,

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potable water provided in a sanitary manner and provided at suitable intervals for the species to

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maintain the health of the animal(s) and not to exceed twenty-four (24) hours at any interval.

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     (3) "Adequate veterinary care" means care by a licensed veterinarian sufficient to prevent

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the animal from experiencing unnecessary or unjustified physical pain or suffering.

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     (4) "Adopt" means when an adopting party voluntarily acquires and assumes

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responsibility for an animal from a releasing agency that is properly licensed or registered by the

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department.

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     (5) "Adopting party" means any person who enters into a contract acquiring an animal

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from a releasing agency that is properly licensed or registered by the department.

 

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     (6) "Ambient temperature" means the temperature surrounding the animal.

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     (7) "Animal" means any dog or cat, rabbit, rodent, nonhuman primate, bird or other

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warm-blooded vertebrate, amphibian, fish, or reptile but shall not include horses, cattle, sheep,

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goats, swine, and domestic fowl.

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     (8) "Animal rescue" or "rescue" means an entity, without a physical brick-and-mortar

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facility, that is owned, operated, or maintained by a duly incorporated humane society, animal

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welfare society, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or other nonprofit organization

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devoted to the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of animals intended for adoption.

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     (9) "Animal shelter" means a brick-and-mortar facility that is used to house or contain

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animals and that is owned, operated, or maintained by a duly incorporated humane society,

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animal welfare society, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or other nonprofit

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organization devoted to the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of animals.

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     (10) "Breeder" means a person engaged in the propagation of purebred or crossbred dogs

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and/or cats for the purpose of improving and enhancing a breed recognized and registered by the

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American Kennel Club, American Field Stud Book, a registered cat breed association, or for sale

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at wholesale or retail, unless otherwise exempted as a hobby breeder as defined below.

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     (11) "Broker" means any third party who arranges, delivers, or otherwise facilitates

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transfer of ownership of animal(s), through adoption or fostering, from one party to another,

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whether or not the party receives a fee for providing that service and whether or not the party

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takes physical possession of the animal(s) at any point.

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     (12) "Dealer" means any person who sells, exchanges, or donates, or offers to sell,

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exchange, or donate, animals to another dealer, pet shop, or research facility, or who breeds

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animals for the purpose of selling or donating to another dealer or pet shop or research facility.

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     (13) "Director" means the director of environmental management of the state of Rhode

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Island.

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     (14) "Dog officer" or "animal-control officer" means any person employed, contracted, or

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appointed by the state, or any political subdivision of the state, for the purpose of aiding in the

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enforcement of this chapter or any other law or ordinance relating to the licensing of dogs, cats,

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or other animals; the control of dogs, cats or other animals; or the seizure and impoundment of

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dogs, cats, or other animals and includes any state or municipal peace officer, animal-control

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officer, sheriff, constable, or other employee whose duties, in whole or in part, include

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assignments that involve the seizure or taking into custody of any dog, cat, or other animal.

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     (15) "Euthanasia" means the humane destruction of an animal accomplished by a method

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that involves instantaneous unconsciousness and immediate death or by a method that involves

 

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anesthesia, produced by an agent that causes painless loss of consciousness and death during that

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loss of consciousness.

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     (16) "Guardian" shall mean a person(s) having the same rights and responsibilities of an

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owner, and both terms shall be used interchangeably. A guardian shall also mean a person who

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possesses; has title to or an interest in; harbors or has control, custody, or possession of an animal

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and who is responsible for an animal's safety and well-being.

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     (17) "Hobby breeder" means those persons whose regular occupation is not the breeding

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and raising of dogs and cats and whose method of sale is at retail only. A hobby breeder shall not

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exceed the limits set forth in § 4-25-1(4). Any person who sells at retail a number in excess of the

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limits in the aforementioned section shall be considered a pet shop.

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     (18) "Housing facility" means any room, building, or area used to contain a primary

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enclosure or enclosures.

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     (19) "Humane animal welfare group" means any legal entity that is engaged in the

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activity of trapping feral cats for the purpose of spaying or neutering, provided:

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     (i) The cats will be released at the same location where originally trapped; and

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     (ii) The cats will have been spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian, vaccinated for

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rabies and feline distemper, and identified with a left ear tip.

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     (19)(20) "Kennel" means a place or establishment, other than a pound or animal shelter,

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where animals not owned by the proprietor are sheltered, fed, and watered in return for a fee.

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     (20)(21) "Licensed releasing agency" means any animal shelter, animal-rescue, pound,

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animal-control officer, humane animal welfare group, or broker that is required to be licensed or

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registered with the director pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and is so licensed or

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registered.

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     (21)(22) "Neuter" means to surgically render a male dog or cat unable to reproduce.

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     (22)(23) "Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, joint stock company,

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corporation, association, trust, estate, or other legal entity.

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     (23)(24) "Pet shop" means a temporary or permanent establishment where animals are

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bought, sold, exchanged, or offered for sale or exchange to the general public at retail. This shall

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not include an establishment or person whose total sales are the offspring of canine or feline

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females maintained on their premises and sold from those premises and does not exceed the limits

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set forth in § 4-25-1(4).

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     (24)(25) "Pound" or "dog pound" means a facility operated by a state, or any political

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subdivision of a state, for the purpose of impounding or harboring seized, stray, homeless,

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abandoned, or unwanted dogs, cats, and other animals or a facility operated for that purpose under

 

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a contract with any municipal corporation or incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to

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animals.

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     (25)(26) "Primary enclosure" or "enclosure" means the most proximal barrier to an

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animal that will have the intended purpose or effect of containment of that animal or that will

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effectively restrict the liberty of the animal.

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     (26)(27) "Public auction" means any place or location where dogs or cats are sold at

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auction to the highest bidder regardless of whether those dogs or cats are offered as individuals,

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as a group, or by weight.

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     (27)(28) "Research facility" means any place, laboratory, or institution at which scientific

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tests, investigations, or experiments, involving the use of living animals, are carried out,

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conducted, or attempted.

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     (28)(29) "Sanitize" means to make physically clean and to remove and destroy, to a

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practical minimum, agents injurious to health.

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     (29)(30) "Sexual maturity" means when a dog or cat reaches six (6) months. In all

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instances, the licensed, releasing agency or a licensed veterinarian will determine the age of the

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dog or cat.

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     (30)(31) "Spay" means to surgically render a female dog or cat unable to reproduce.

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     (31)(32) "State veterinarian" means a licensed veterinarian from the department of

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environmental management.

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     4-19-4. Registration of animal shelters, rescues, and brokers Registration of animal

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shelters, rescues, humane animal welfare groups, and brokers.

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     No person shall operate an animal shelter, rescue, humane animal welfare group, or

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broker unless a certificate of registration for that animal shelter, rescue, humane animal welfare

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group, or broker has been granted by the director. Application for that certificate shall be made in

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the manner provided by the director. No fee is required for the application or certificate.

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Certificates of registration are valid for a period of one year, or until revoked, and may be

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renewed annually on the first day of January for like periods upon application in the manner

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provided.

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     SECTION 2. Section 4-24-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-24 entitled "Permit

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Program for Cats" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     4-24-8. Abandonment of cats.

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     If any cat is abandoned by their owner or any person having charge or custody of that cat,

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that person shall, for each offense be punished in the manner provided in § 4-1-2. This section

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shall not apply to a "humane animal welfare group: as defined in §4-19-2.

 

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

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     This act would exempt a "humane animal welfare group" from the offense of the

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abandonment of cats.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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