2022 -- H 8303

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LC006043

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY - CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives O'Brien, Slater, Corvese, Craven, McEntee, Baginski,
Noret, Solomon, Phillips, and Hull

     Date Introduced: June 01, 2022

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 4-1-22 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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     4-1-22. Care of neglected animals by society -- Forfeiture of owner's rights --

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Expenses.

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     (a) An officer or agent of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

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may lawfully take charge of and shall provide adequate care to any animal found abandoned or

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neglected or hazardously accumulated as defined in § 4-1-1, or that in the opinion of that officer or

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agent, is aged, maimed, disabled, lame, sick, diseased, injured, unfit for the labor it is performing,

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or cruelly treated, and shall give notice to the owner or guardian, if known, or his or her agents, and

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may provide suitable care.

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     (b) Every owner or guardian or agent, upon conviction, plea of guilty, or plea of nolo

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contendere, of abandonment, neglect, hazardous accumulation as defined in § 4-1-1, or otherwise

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cruel treatment of any animal taken charge of by the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of

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Cruelty to Animals under this section, forfeits the rights to ownership or control of that animal to

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the Society for disposition in any manner deemed suitable for that animal.

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     (c) Whenever any officer or agent of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty

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to Animals lawfully takes charge of any animal under this section, all reasonable expenses for the

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care and treatment of the animal(s), while in the custody of the Society during this time, shall be

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paid for by the owner, or guardian, or his or her agent upon conviction, plea of guilty, or plea of

 

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nolo contendere. The Society has the authority to commence a civil action for damages against the

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owner or his or her agent guardian thirty (30) days after a written demand for payment of the

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expense of the suitable care of that animal has been sent and no payment has been received. The

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written demand shall state that the failure to pay or make arrangements to pay for the care of that

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animal may result in forfeiture of ownership of the animal. The cost of such care and treatment that

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is billed to the owner or guardian shall be reasonable and related to equivalent services provided

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by veterinary care and animal sheltering, feeding and boarding services in this state.

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     (d) The owner or guardian of any animal that is in the charge of the Rhode Island Society

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for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals pursuant to the authority granted in this section may,

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within sixty (60) days following the date that the society gives notice of the taking of possession of

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the animal, petition the district court for an order to return custody of the animal to the owner or

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guardian.

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     (e) Upon the filing of such petition, the court shall cause a summons to be issued requiring

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an authorized representative of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to appear in

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court at the time and place named, which summons shall be served not less than fourteen (14) days

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before the date of the hearing.

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     (f) At the hearing on the petition, the court shall consider:

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     (1) The animal’s condition;

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     (2) The care required to maintain the animal safely and in an appropriate environment; and

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     (3) The ability of the petitioner to provide or arrange for the adequate care of the animal,

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including during the time any criminal charges related to or arising from the seizure are pending.

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     (g) If, after hearing, the court finds that the owner or guardian of the animal has the ability

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to properly care for or arrange for the adequate care of the animal during the pendency of the

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criminal charges, the court may allow the owner or guardian of the animal to have or arrange for

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the adequate care, custody and control of the animal pending the final determination of the related

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criminal charges subject to such restrictions and conditions as the court determines to be reasonable

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or necessary.

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     (h) All issues will be decided upon a preponderance of the evidence.

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     (i) In the event that the court orders an animal returned to the owner or guardian following

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the hearing, the owner or guardian will not be required to pay for the cost of care incurred prior to

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the date of the hearing unless and until such time as there has been a conviction, plea of guilty, or

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plea of nolo contendere, of abandonment, neglect, hazardous accumulation as defined in § 4-1-1,

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or otherwise cruel treatment in the related criminal proceeding.

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     (j) In the event that the owner or guardian fails to petition for custody of the animal within

 

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sixty (60) days of notice of the taking or fails to pay within sixty (60) days of the written demand

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for payment, the Rhode Island Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals may petition the court

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for transfer of ownership of the animal to the Rhode Island Society for Prevention of Cruelty to

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Animals. If the owner or guardian fails to respond to the petition for transfer of ownership the court

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shall transfer ownership to the society.

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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 - CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

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     This act would provide that owners of animals in the custody of the Rhode Island Society

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for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA) shall pay reasonable expenses for the animal's

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care or the animal may be forfeited to the RISPCA. This act further provides that the owner of an

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animal in RISPCA custody may file an action in the district court for return of the animal and in

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the event that the owner or guardian fails to petition for custody of the animal within sixty (60)

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days of notice, or fails to pay within sixty (60) days of written demand, the RISPCA would be able

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to petition the court for transfer of ownership of the animal.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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