The bill amends Section 4-13-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-13, titled "Dogs," to allow city or town councils to create and enforce dog-related ordinances, including the issuance of citations by animal control officers. It specifies the penalties for first, second, and subsequent offenses within a calendar year, with the amounts varying by town. Notably, the bill increases the fines in the town of Cumberland for such offenses, with the first offense fine not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00), the second offense seventy-five dollars ($75.00), and subsequent offenses one hundred dollars ($100.00). These changes are indicated by insertions of the new fine amounts and deletions of the old amounts. Additionally, the bill empowers specific towns to regulate the number of licensed dogs at a single-family residence, excluding licensed breeding kennels, and to enforce these regulations with pecuniary penalties.

The bill also grants authority to various town and city councils to establish fines for animal control offenses, with maximum fines ranging from $15 to $300, and to allow citations to be issued by animal control or police officers. For example, Richmond can set fines up to $100 for repeated offenses within a year, and Pawtucket can impose fines up to $1,000 for repeated pit bull offenses, with the possibility of imprisonment for unlicensed pit bulls. The bill includes provisions for impounding dogs, requiring owners to pay expenses before reclaiming their pets. It also authorizes the Burrillville and Foster town councils to enact ordinances for dog violations, with specific fines for offenses and an impoundment fee structure. The bill indicates an increase in fines for dog ordinance violations in Cumberland and is effective upon passage, with no specific insertions or deletions marked in the provided text.

Statutes affected:
7245: 4-13-1