2008 -- H 8167

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LC02747

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2008

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A N A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

     Introduced By: Representative Carol A. Mumford

     Date Introduced: April 22, 2008

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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hereby amended to read as follows:

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     4-13-4. Dog licenses -- Fees -- Penalties. -- (a) (1) Every owner or keeper of a dog shall

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annually in April obtain a license effective May 1 in the office of the city or town clerk of the city

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or town in which the owner or keeper resides.

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      (2) The fees for the license shall be five dollars ($5.00).

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      (3) No city or town shall issue any license under this section unless the dog has been

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inoculated against rabies for the period of time which the license would be valid.

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      (4) All licenses issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be valid in every city or

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town during the then current year.

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      (5) Any person who becomes the owner or keeper of a dog shall obtain a license within

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thirty (30) days after he or she becomes the owner or keeper.

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      (6) (i) The Cumberland town clerk may issue a license renewable every two (2) years for

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a licensing fee of six dollars ($6.00).

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      (ii) Glocester town council may provide for an annual licensing fee of fourteen dollars

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($14.00) for all dogs except spayed or neutered females and males and for an annual licensing fee

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of seven dollars ($7.00) for spayed or neutered female and male dogs.

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      (iii) Jamestown town council may provide by ordinance for an annual licensing fee not

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to exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) for neutered dogs, and not to exceed twenty-five dollars

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($25.00) for unneutered dogs.

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      (iv) Newport city council may, however, provide by ordinance for an annual licensing

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fee of not more than ten dollars ($10.00) for all spayed and neutered dogs, and for an annual

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licensing fee of not more than fifteen dollars ($15.00) for unspayed females and unneutered

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males.

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      (v) North Smithfield town council may provide by ordinance for an annual licensing fee

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of five dollars ($5.00) for all dogs.

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      (vi) (A) South Kingstown town council may provide for an annual licensing fee of

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twelve dollars ($12.00) for all dogs except spayed or neutered females and male dogs and for an

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annual licensing fee of seven dollars ($7.00) for spayed or neutered female and male dogs.

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      (B) The South Kingstown town council may assess an impound fee.

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      (vii) (A) Westerly town council may provide by ordinance for an annual license fee of

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ten dollars ($10.00) for unspayed female dogs and unneutered male dogs;

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      (B) May provide for a fee of one dollar ($1.00) for the replacement of lost dog tags;

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      (C) May provide that no fee be charged to license guide dogs used by persons with

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disabilities;

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      (D) May provide for the number of licenced dogs which may be kept at any single-

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family residence, other than a breeding kennel; and

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      (E) May provide for pecuniary penalties not exceeding twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for

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violations.

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      (viii) Woonsocket city council may provide by ordinance for an annual licensing fee of

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five dollars ($5.00) for all dogs.

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      (ix) (A) West Warwick town council may provide by ordinance for an annual license fee

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of seven dollars ($7.00) for each neutered male or spayed female and fifteen dollars ($15.00) for

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each unneutered male and unspayed female.

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      (B) May provide by ordinance for a payment of a two dollars ($2.00) fee for duplicate or

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for replacement tags.

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      (x) (A) Pawtucket city council may provide by ordinance for an annual licensing fee not

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to exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) for spayed or neutered dogs, and not to exceed twenty-five

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dollars ($25.00) for unspayed or unneutered dogs.

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      (B) May provide by ordinance for an annual licensing fee for dogs owned by residents

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age 65 or older not to exceed five dollars ($5.00) for spayed or neutered dogs, and not to exceed

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ten dollars ($10.00) for unspayed or unneutered dogs.

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      (b) Every person, owning or keeping a dog not licensed and/or collared according to the

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provisions of this chapter, shall be fined ten dollars ($10.00) to be applied to the support of the

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city or town, and that fine shall be in addition to all other lawful fees.

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      (c) Any city or town may waive the fee to be charged to license guide dogs used by

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persons with disabilities.

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      (d) In the city of Woonsocket, every person owning or keeping a dog not licensed and/or

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collared according to the provisions of this chapter shall be fined fifty dollars ($50.00) for the

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first offense, one hundred dollars ($100) for the second offense and one hundred fifty dollars

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($150) for the third and subsequent offenses.

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     (xi) Scituate town council may provide by ordinance for an annual license fee not to

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exceed twenty ($20.00) dollars for all dogs.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02747

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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 provide that the Scituate town council may provide by ordinance for an

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animal license fee not to exceed twenty ($20.00) dollars for all dogs.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC02747

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