Chapter
358
2008 -- H 8167
Enacted 07/05/08
A N A C T
RELATING TO ANIMALS
AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
Introduced By: Representative Carol A. Mumford
Date Introduced: April 22,
2008
It is
enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION
1. Section 4-13-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-13 entitled "Dogs"
is
hereby
amended to read as follows:
4-13-4.
Dog licenses -- Fees -- Penalties. -- (a) (1) Every owner or keeper of
a dog shall
annually
in April obtain a license effective May 1 in the office of the city or town
clerk of the city
or town
in which the owner or keeper resides.
(2) The fees for the license shall be five dollars ($5.00).
(3) No city or town shall issue any license under this section unless the dog
has been
inoculated
against rabies for the period of time which the license would be valid.
(4) All licenses issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be valid in
every city or
town
during the then current year.
(5) Any person who becomes the owner or keeper of a dog shall obtain a license
within
thirty
(30) days after he or she becomes the owner or keeper.
(6) (i) The Cumberland town clerk may issue a license renewable every two (2)
years for
a licensing
fee of six dollars ($6.00).
(ii) Glocester town council may provide for an annual licensing fee of fourteen
dollars
($14.00)
for all dogs except spayed or neutered females and males and for an annual
licensing fee
of seven
dollars ($7.00) for spayed or neutered female and male dogs.
(iii) Jamestown town council may provide by ordinance for an annual licensing
fee not
to
exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) for neutered dogs, and not to exceed
twenty-five dollars
($25.00)
for unneutered dogs.
(iv) Newport city council may, however, provide by ordinance for an annual
licensing
fee of
not more than ten dollars ($10.00) for all spayed and neutered dogs, and for an
annual
licensing
fee of not more than fifteen dollars ($15.00) for unspayed females and
unneutered
males.
(v) North Smithfield town council may provide by ordinance for an annual
licensing fee
of five
dollars ($5.00) for all dogs.
(vi) (A) South Kingstown town council may provide for an annual licensing fee
of
twelve
dollars ($12.00) for all dogs except spayed or neutered females and male dogs
and for an
annual
licensing fee of seven dollars ($7.00) for spayed or neutered female and male
dogs.
(B) The South Kingstown town council may assess an impound fee.
(vii) (A) Westerly town council may provide by ordinance for an annual license
fee of
ten
dollars ($10.00) for unspayed female dogs and unneutered male dogs;
(B) May provide for a fee of one dollar ($1.00) for the replacement of lost dog
tags;
(C) May provide that no fee be charged to license guide dogs used by persons
with
disabilities;
(D) May provide for the number of licenced dogs which may be kept at any
single-
family
residence, other than a breeding kennel; and
(E) May provide for pecuniary penalties not exceeding twenty-five dollars
($25.00) for
violations.
(viii) Woonsocket city council may provide by ordinance for an annual licensing
fee of
five
dollars ($5.00) for all dogs.
(ix) (A) West Warwick town council may provide by ordinance for an annual
license fee
of seven
dollars ($7.00) for each neutered male or spayed female and fifteen dollars
($15.00) for
each
unneutered male and unspayed female.
(xi) Scituate town council may
provide by ordinance for an annual license fee not to
exceed
twenty ($20.00) dollars for all dogs.
(B) May provide by ordinance for a payment of a two dollars ($2.00) fee for
duplicate or
for
replacement tags.
(x) (A) Pawtucket city council may provide by ordinance for an annual licensing
fee not
to
exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) for spayed or neutered dogs, and not to exceed
twenty-five
dollars
($25.00) for unspayed or unneutered dogs.
(B) May provide by ordinance for an annual licensing fee for dogs owned by
residents
age 65
or older not to exceed five dollars ($5.00) for spayed or neutered dogs, and
not to exceed
ten
dollars ($10.00) for unspayed or unneutered dogs.
(b) Every person, owning or keeping a dog not licensed and/or collared
according to the
provisions
of this chapter, shall be fined ten dollars ($10.00) to be applied to the
support of the
city or
town, and that fine shall be in addition to all other lawful fees.
(c) Any city or town may waive the fee to be charged to license guide dogs used
by
persons
with disabilities.
(d) In the city of Woonsocket, every person owning or keeping a dog not
licensed and/or
collared
according to the provisions of this chapter shall be fined fifty dollars
($50.00) for the
first
offense, one hundred dollars ($100) for the second offense and one hundred
fifty dollars
($150)
for the third and subsequent offenses.
SECTION
2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC02747
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