2018 -- S 2055 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CARE OF DOGS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Lynch Prata, Sosnowski, Coyne, Goodwin, and McCaffrey

     Date Introduced: January 18, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 4-13-1.2 and 4-13-42 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-13 entitled

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"Dogs" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     4-13-1.2. Definitions.

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     (1) "Adequate shelter" means the provision of and access to shelter that is suitable for the

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species, age, condition, size, and type of each dog; provides sufficient space for the dog to

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maintain comfortable rest, normal posture and range of movement; is safe to protect each dog

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from injury, rain, sleet, snow, hail, direct sunlight, the adverse effects of heat or cold, physical

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suffering and impairment of health. Shelters with wire grid or slat floors which permit the dog's

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feet to pass through the openings, sag under the dog's weight or otherwise do not protect the dog's

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feet from injury, are not considered adequate shelter.

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     (1)(2) "Board" means the rabies control board.

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     (2)(3) "Department" means the department of environmental management or its

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successor.

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     (3)(4) "Director" means the director of the department of environmental management (or

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its successor) or his or her designee.

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     (4)(5) "Division" means the division of agriculture.

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     (5)(6) "Guardian" means a person(s) having the same rights and responsibilities as an

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owner or keeper, and the terms may be used interchangeably. A guardian shall also mean a person

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

 

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

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     (6)(7) "Livestock" means domesticated animals which are commonly held in moderate

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contact with humans which include, but are not limited to, cattle, bison, equines, sheep, goats,

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llamas, and swine.

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     (7)(8) "Owner or keeper" means any person or agency keeping, harboring or having

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charge or control of or responsibility for control of an animal or any person or agency which

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permits any dog, cat, ferret, or domestic animal to habitually be fed within that person's yard or

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premises. This term shall not apply to veterinary facilities, any licensed boarding kennel,

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municipal pound, pet shop, or animal shelter.

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     (8)(9) "Person" means an individual, firm, joint stock company, partnership, association,

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private or municipal corporation, trust, estate, state, commission, political subdivision, any

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interstate body, the federal government or any agency or subdivision of the federal government,

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other government entity, or other legal entity.

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     (9)(10) "Pets" means domesticated animals kept in close contact with humans, which

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include, but may not be limited to dogs, cats, ferrets, equines, llamas, goats, sheep, and swine.

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     (10)(11) "Quarantine" means the removal, isolation, the close confinement or related

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measures of an animal under conditions and for time periods that are set by regulation of the

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board.

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     (11)(12) "Tether" means the practice of fastening a dog to a stationary object or stake by

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a chain, rope or other tethering device as a means of keeping the dog under control. A dog being

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walked on a leash is not tethered.

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     4-13-42. Care of dogs.

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     (a) It shall be a violation of this section for an owner or keeper to:

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     (1) Keep any dog on a permanent tether that restricts movement of the tethered dog to an

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area less than one hundred thirteen square feet (113 sq. ft.), or less than a six foot (6') radius at

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ground level.

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     (2) Tether a dog with a choke-type collar, head collar or prong-type collar. The weight of

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any chain or tether shall not exceed one-eighth (1/8) of the dog's total body weight.

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     (3) Keep any dog tethered for more than ten (10) hours during a twenty-four (24) hour

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period or keep any dog confined in an area or primary enclosure a pen, cage, or other shelter for

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more than fourteen (14) hours during any twenty-four (24) hour period, and more than ten (10)

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hours during a twenty-four (24) hour period, if the area is not greater than that which is required

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under the most recently adopted version of the department of environmental management's rules

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and regulations governing animal care facilities.

 

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     (4) Tether a dog anytime from the hours of ten o'clock p.m. (10:00 p.m.) to six o'clock

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a.m. (6:00 a.m.), except for a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes.

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     (4)(5) Keep any dog outside either tethered, penned, caged, fenced, or otherwise confined

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without access to an outdoor housing facility when the ambient temperature is beyond the

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industry standard for the weather safety scale as set forth in the most recent adopted version of

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the Tufts Animal Care and Condition Weather Safety Scale (TACC) if the dog is showing signs

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of poor health due to the weather conditions.

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     (b) It shall be a violation of this section for an owner or keeper to fail to provide a dog

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with adequate feed, adequate water, or adequate veterinary care as those terms are defined in § 4-

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19-2; provided however, that adequate veterinary care may be provided by an owner using

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acceptable animal husbandry practices.

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     (c) Any person in violation of this section shall be given a warning for a first violation.

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Second and subsequent violations of this subsection can be considered a violation of § 4-1-2.

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Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense. Exposing any dog to adverse weather

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conditions strictly for the purpose of conditioning shall be prohibited.

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     (d) The provisions of this section, as they relate to the duration and timeframe of

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tethering or confinement, shall not apply:

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     (1) If the tethering or confinement is authorized for medical reasons in writing by a

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veterinarian licensed in Rhode Island, the authorization is renewed annually, and shelter is

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provided;

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     (2) If tethering or confinement is authorized in writing by an animal control officer, or

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duly sworn police officer assigned to the animal control division, for the purposes, including, but

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not limited to, hunting dogs, dogs protecting livestock, and sled dogs. Written authorization must

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be renewed annually. Such written authorization issued by an animal control officer or duly

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sworn police officer assigned to the animal control division in the political subdivision of the

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state where the dogs are kept shall be considered valid in every other political subdivision of the

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state. Such written authorization issued by an animal control officer or duly sworn police officer

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assigned to the animal control division in the political subdivision of the state where the dogs are

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kept is revocable by that animal control officer or police officer if there are any conditions present

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that warrant revocation. Such conditions include, but are not limited to, changes in the number or

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type of dogs, changes in the facility structure or safety, and changes in the health of the dog;

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     (3) To a training facility, grooming facility, commercial boarding kennel, pet shop

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licensed in accordance with chapter 19 of this title, animal shelter, municipal pound, To any

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entity licensed by the state pursuant to chapter 19 of title 4, or any veterinary facility;

 

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     (4) To licensed hunters, field trial participants, or any person raising or training a gun dog

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or hunting dog, provided that the licensed hunter or field trial hunt test participant is actively

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engaged in hunting, training, or field trial hunt testing or is transporting the dog to or from an

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event;

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     (5) To livestock farmers who use their dogs to protect their livestock from predators;

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     (6) To an exhibitor holding a class C license under the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. §

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2133) that are temporarily in the state, if authorized by the department of environmental

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management (DEM); or

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     (7) To sled dog owners who are actively training their dogs to pull sleds in winter

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conditions.

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     (e) Any person in violation of this section shall be imprisoned not exceeding eleven (11)

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months, or fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor exceeding five hundred dollars ($500), or

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both. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.

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     (f) General agents or special agents of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of

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Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA) are hereby authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter in

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cooperation with animal control officers and the department of environmental management

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(DEM).

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     SECTION 2. 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 -- CARE OF DOGS

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     This act would define the term "adequate shelter" where dogs may be kept. It would limit

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the weight of any dog chain or tether to one-eighth (1/8) of the dogs total body weight. In

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addition it would limit the time dogs may be tethered outdoors.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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