The bill amends Section 4-13-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-13, titled "Dogs," to empower city and town councils to create and enforce dog-related ordinances with a structured penalty system. It specifies that penalties for dog offenses can range from not exceeding ten dollars for the first offense to not exceeding twenty-five dollars for the third and subsequent offenses within a year. The bill also specifically authorizes the Barrington town council to enact an ordinance that allows animal control officers to issue citations for violations, with fines ranging from twenty-five dollars for the first offense to seventy-five dollars for the third and subsequent offenses within a calendar year. Additionally, it grants similar authority to several other town councils, including Bristol, Coventry, Cumberland, and others, to enact ordinances, issue citations, and establish fines for dog-related offenses. Some towns are also authorized to regulate the number of licensed dogs at a single-family residence, with penalties for non-compliance.

Significant changes include the deletion of specific fines for offenses within a calendar year for the Smithfield town council, which is now authorized to prescribe penalties for violations of the town's general ordinances on animals. The bill also outlines the authority for the Richmond and Scituate town councils to establish fines and issue citations for animal control offenses. The town of Burrillville is authorized to issue mail-payable citations and set penalties, as well as impoundment fees, while the Foster town council can prescribe fines for offenses within a calendar year. The bill includes insertions that update enforcement and penalty provisions and deletions of previous language prescribing specific fines. The act would take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
7657: 4-13-1