2019 -- H 6016

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LC002467

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- IMPOUNDMENT AND

DISPOSITION OF UNCOLLARED DOGS -- FOSTER

     Introduced By: Representative Michael W. Chippendale

     Date Introduced: April 24, 2019

     Referred To: House Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 4-13-15 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-13 entitled "Dogs" is

hereby amended to read as follows:

     4-13-15. Collaring of dogs -- Impoundment and disposition of uncollared dogs.

     (a) Every owner or keeper of a dog shall cause the dog to wear a collar around its neck

distinctly marked with its owner's or keeper's name and with its registered number. Any person

may cause any dog not so collared to be impounded in the public pound of the town or city where

the dog is found; and if the dog is not claimed by its owner or keeper within a period of five (5)

days after the impoundment, the dog may be disposed of or destroyed. The five (5) days shall not

include any day or part of a day that the public pound is not open for a specified period of time,

not to be less than one-half (1/2) the normal hours of business, for the purpose of reclaiming any

impounded dog by its rightful owner. All periods of time shall be listed in a prominent location at

the entrance to all public pounds. The owner or keeper of any dog so impounded shall not take

the dog out of the pound until he or she has first paid to the poundkeeper the expense of keeping

the dog, that expense not to exceed two dollars ($2.00) per day and to be determined by the city

or town council in which impoundment occurs. The town council of the town of Glocester may,

by ordinance, determine an expense not to exceed ten dollars ($10.00) for each of the first five (5)

days during which this impoundment occurs plus five dollars ($5.00) every day the animal is

detained, plus an additional ten dollars ($10.00) if the owner or keeper is unable to show that the

dog has a current rabies shot pursuant to § 4-13-31, and further, the dog shall not be released from

the pound until all the provisions of this chapter and the ordinances of the city or town are

complied with. The provisions of this section relating to the five (5) day waiting period shall not

be deemed to apply to any dog which, when impounded, was injured or maimed, and after the

dog has been examined by a licensed veterinarian who shall confirm, in writing, that the dog be

destroyed for humanitarian purposes.

     The town of West Warwick may provide by ordinance an impounding fee of five dollars

($5.00) per day and may provide by ordinance for a fee for the purposes of transferring ownership

or for the disposition of said animals according to law for each adult dog (six (6) months or older)

the sum of twenty dollars ($20.00) and for each puppy the sum of five dollars ($5.00) for each

adult cat (six (6) months or older) the sum of ten dollars ($10.00).

     (b) Any person violating the provisions of this section is subject to the penalty provisions

of § 4-1-2.

     (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) the town council of the town of

Exeter may impose an initial impoundment fee of up to fifteen dollars ($15.00) plus two dollars

($2.00) per day for each day of impoundment.

     (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the city council of the city of East

Providence is authorized to enact an ordinance imposing an initial impoundment fee of up to

twenty dollars ($20.00) plus five dollars ($5.00) per day for each day of impoundment.

     (e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the town council of the town of

Richmond is authorized to enact an ordinance providing for an impoundment fee of not more than

twenty dollars ($20.00) per day for any impounded animal, and requiring payment of the fee

before an impounded animal may be released to its owner.

     (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the Foster town

council is authorized to enact an ordinance providing for an impoundment fee of not more than

fifteen dollars ($15.00) per day for any impounded animal, and requiring payment of the fee

before an impounded animal may be released to its owner.

     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 -- IMPOUNDMENT AND

DISPOSITION OF UNCOLLARED DOGS -- FOSTER

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     This act would authorize the Foster town council to enact an impoundment fee for

impounded dogs.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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