The bill amends Section 4-13-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-13 entitled "Dogs," providing city or town councils with the authority to create and enforce ordinances concerning dogs. It sets maximum fines for first, second, and subsequent offenses within a calendar year, with the amounts varying by town. For example, fines range from $10 to $25 for the first offense, $15 to $50 for the second offense, and $25 to $75 or more for the third and subsequent offenses, depending on the town. The bill includes specific provisions for the Cumberland town council, authorizing it to increase fines to not exceed $50 for the first offense, $75 for the second offense, and $100 for the third and subsequent offenses within a calendar year. Additionally, the bill allows town councils to enable animal control or police officers to issue citations payable by mail and establishes impoundment expenses that must be paid by the dog owner.

The bill also grants authority to various town councils to set fines for animal control offenses, with Richmond town council able to impose fines up to $100 for repeated offenses and issue citations for fines up to $500. Similar provisions are given to other towns, with maximum fines for offenses within a calendar year ranging from $15 to $300. The Pawtucket city council can impose fines up to $1,000 for repeated offenses related to the ownership of pit bulls and includes potential imprisonment for owning unlicensed pit bulls. The bill does not mention any deletions from current law but adds new legal language to enhance local councils' powers in managing animal control issues. For Burrillville and Foster, the bill authorizes the issuance of citations for dog ordinance violations payable by mail and sets a tiered penalty system for such violations. The bill is effective immediately upon passage, and while it aims to increase fines for dog ordinance violations in Cumberland, the summary does not specify the changes in fines for that town.

Statutes affected:
2881: 4-13-1