This bill amends Section 4-1-26 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-1, which pertains to cruelty to animals. The amendment states that abandoning an animal, which includes leaving it on the street, in a public place, or in a building without providing for its care, is punishable by law. If the abandonment results in the death of the animal, the punishment is more severe. The amendment also specifies that any pound or animal shelter must consider an impounded animal abandoned if it is not redeemed by its owner within a certain number of days. The impounding agency then has the right to adopt the animal. The amendment also requires pounds and animal shelters to make reasonable efforts to locate and notify the owner of an impounded animal, including scanning for a microchip.

The bill further adds a provision that exempts individuals who trap unowned feral or free roaming cats, have them spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian, and release them back to the property where they were trapped from being considered as abandoning the cats. This provision is subject to the conditions that the medical procedures are performed by a licensed veterinarian and the cats are returned to the property where they were trapped. The bill will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
2305: 4-1-26