R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-31 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-31
§ 4-13-31. Compulsory rabies vaccination.
Status: in_force

(a) For the purpose of preventing the introduction of rabies when rabies appears in any nearby area and its appearance creates a threat of introduction into Rhode Island, or for the suppression, or for the control of rabies, the board shall make regulations requiring compulsory vaccination of dogs, cats, ferrets or any other domestic animal as deemed necessary against rabies in a manner specified by it in any area or areas within the state, which are deemed necessary to prevent that introduction, or for the purposes of suppression and control.

(b) The board is authorized to engage any personnel within the department of health or department of environment to assist in carrying out any regulation which may be promulgated for the suppression and control of rabies.

(c) Upon receipt of a written request from any city or town council or the mayor of any town or city and with the consent and approval of the health officers of those towns and cities, the board shall establish in cooperation with local and state health department authorities, public clinics for the vaccination of dogs, cats, and ferrets against rabies. Those clinics shall be conducted in accordance with provisions and regulations proposed by and under the supervision of the board.

(d) Rabies vaccine for animals may be administered only by or under the direct and specific supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

(e) Except as otherwise amended by board regulation, the owner or keeper of a dog, cat, or ferret shall have the animal vaccinated not earlier than three (3) months of age nor later than four (4) months of age and at regular intervals as prescribed by board regulations, but at no time to exceed recommendations made by the most current compendium of animal rabies control.

(f) Any veterinarian or any person directed by a veterinarian who vaccinates a dog, cat, or ferret against rabies must issue a rabies vaccination certificate to the animals owner. This certificate shall meet the minimum standards approved by the board, which include: the veterinarians name, the veterinarians practice name, address and telephone number; the pet owners name and address, the pets name, species, age coloration and sex; the rabies vaccine manufacturers name; the date of inoculation and the signature of the doctor who administered or directed the administration of the rabies vaccine. For dogs, cats, and ferrets, there shall be a record kept which lists the number of the rabies tag issued in conjunction with the rabies vaccination certificate.

(g) No city or town may register or license a pet that is not vaccinated for rabies in accordance with this chapter. Proof of rabies vaccination shall be a current, valid rabies certificate for any species.

(h) This chapter shall not apply to any dog or cat imported into this state strictly for exhibition or breeding purposes, and which does not remain in this state for more than fifteen (15) days and which is accompanied by a valid health certificate or certificate of veterinary inspection.

(i) A person who fails to have or refuses to have each dog, cat, and/or ferret owned or kept by the person vaccinated against rabies violates the provisions of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-8-7 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-8 / Section 4-8-7
§ 4-8-7. Liability of sureties.
Status: in_force

Every surety given in accordance with the provisions of this chapter shall be liable, in the first instance, for the payment of all claims arising during the license period for which the surety continues, and filed either during that period or within ninety (90) days after the expiration. If all claims shall be paid, the balance of the liability of each surety shall be devoted to the extinguishment ratably of claims arising during that license period, but for which statement shall not have been filed until ninety (90) days after the expiration of that period.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-26-6 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-26 / Section 4-26-6
§ 4-26-6. Reporting requirements.
Status: in_force

(a) The council shall provide a report of its recommendations and findings. Said report shall be provided to the department, governor and general assembly by April 30, 2013.

(b) Thereafter, the council shall provide a written report to the governor and the general assembly, no later than April 30 of each year, on the progress made in achieving the goals and objectives set forth in this chapter and any other pertinent information by April 30, 2013.

(c) The council shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 38-2, access to public records act, and chapter 42-46, open meetings act.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-9 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-9
§ 4-13-9. Pups exempt from license.
Status: in_force

No license shall be required for any dog under the age of six (6) months.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-4-13 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-4 / Section 4-4-13
§ 4-4-13. Powers of federal and state inspectors  Assistance by peace officers.
Status: in_force

The inspectors of the state department of environmental management and the department of agriculture of the United States, in cooperation with the state department of environmental management, or with any agent of the state, has the right of inspection, quarantine, and condemnation of animals affected with any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease, or suspected to be affected, or that have been exposed to any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease, and for these purposes are authorized and empowered to enter upon any grounds or premises. The director of agriculture or inspectors of the United States department of agriculture, in cooperation with the state department of environmental management, or with any agent of the state department of environmental management have the power to call on deputy sheriffs, constables, and peace officers to assist them in the discharge of their duties in carrying out the provisions of the act of congress approved May 29, 1884, 21 U.S.C. § 113 et seq., establishing the bureau of animal industry, or the provisions of the department of environmental management, and it is made the duty of deputy sheriffs, constables, and peace officers to assist those inspectors or agents when requested, and those inspectors or agents have the same power and protection as peace officers while engaged in the discharge of their duties.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-15-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-15 / Section 4-15-4
§ 4-15-4. Grazing animals deemed at large.
Status: in_force

Every horse, neat-beast, sheep, or hog which feeds or grazes upon any highway or common, or on any land thrown open as a way for public travel and used by the public for travel, is deemed to be going at large.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-4-20 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-4 / Section 4-4-20
§ 4-4-20. Publication of information on diseases.
Status: in_force

The director of environmental management shall endeavor to obtain full information in relation to any contagious disease which may prevail among cattle or other domestic animals near the borders of the state, and shall publish and circulate that information in his or her discretion. Should any contagious disease break out, or should there be reasonable suspicion of its existence among cattle or other domestic animals in any city or town in the state, he or she shall examine the cases, and publish the result of his or her examination, for the benefit of the public.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-6-5 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-6 / Section 4-6-5
§ 4-6-5. Slaughter of all reactors in state.
Status: in_force

When the records kept by the department of environmental management indicate that eighty-five percent (85%) of the total cattle of the state, excepting steers and calves under six (6) months of age, are free from brucellosis, the state regulatory officials shall require that all brucellosis reactors be slaughtered except calfhood vaccinated animals under thirty (30) months of age.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-9-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-9 / Section 4-9-1
§ 4-9-1. Products to be labeled.
Status: in_force

All biological products as defined under the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act 21 USC 151-159 et seq., used for the testing or immunizing of animals sold, given away, or used within the state, shall bear a label stating the name and address of the person, firm, or institution making it and the date of its expiration, and comply with all other provisions of the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 151-159 et seq.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-28 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-28
§ 4-1-28. Greasy pig contests prohibited.
Status: in_force

It is unlawful for any person, as defined in § 4-1-1, to conduct any greasy pig contest within the state. Any person violating this section is subject to the provisions of § 4-1-2.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-18-13 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-18 / Section 4-18-13
§ 4-18-13. Exceptions.
Status: in_force

The department upon application may grant variances from the requirements of these regulations as it determines are authorized by law and will not result in hazard to the public health. Those applications, and variances made, shall be in writing and any variances granted under this section shall set forth conditions designed to protect the public health, and shall be granted only for a specified period.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-29.2 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-29.2
§ 4-13-29.2. Exemption from liability.
Status: in_force

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, neither the rabies control board, any member of the board, the state or any of the states subdivisions, or any person acting as their agent, is subject to civil liabilities or penalties of any type, arising out of their actions performed in the course of their duties pursuant to this chapter. Nothing in this section is to be construed to limit or otherwise affect the liability of any person for damages resulting from the persons gross negligence or from the persons reckless, wanton, or intentional misconduct.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-26-5 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-26 / Section 4-26-5
§ 4-26-5. Duties of the council.
Status: in_force

The council shall support and work collaboratively with the department as follows:

(1) Review and evaluate laws and rules of the state applicable to the care and handling of livestock as defined in subdivision 4-26-3(6) including, but not limited to:

(i) The overall health and welfare of livestock species;

(ii) Agricultural operation best management practices;

(iii) Biosecurity and disease prevention;

(iv) Humane transport and slaughter practices; and

(v) Any other matters the council considers necessary for the proper care and well being of livestock animals in the state.

(2) Respond to requests from the legislature for information and comments on proposed legislation;

(3) Issue recommendations necessary to achieve these goals;

(4) Submit policy recommendations to the director and general assembly on any of the subject matter set forth under subdivision (ii) of this subsection.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-23 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-23
§ 4-1-23. Destruction of infirm animals by society.
Status: in_force

If, upon examination by a licensed graduate veterinarian of any animal taken possession of under § 4-1-22, the veterinarian certifies, in writing, to the society that the animal is so aged, maimed, disabled, lame, sick, diseased, or injured as to be unfit for any useful purpose, any officer or agent of the society may lawfully and humanely destroy that animal or cause it to be humanely destroyed, and the society, its officers and agents, are exonerated from all liability to the owner of that animal on account of its destruction.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-13 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-13
§ 4-13-13. Wrongful removal of collar  Theft or destruction of licensed dogs  Poisoning.
Status: in_force

Whoever wrongfully removes the collar from the neck of a dog licensed and collared according to the provisions of this chapter, or steals a dog licensed or collared, or kills, maims, entices, carries away, or detains a licensed dog, or distributes or exposes a poisonous substance, with the intent that the poisonous substance shall be eaten by a licensed dog, shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars ($10.00), nor more than one hundred dollars ($100) or be imprisoned not exceeding thirty (30) days, or both, and shall be liable to the dogs owner for damages in a civil action.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-22 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-22
§ 4-13-22. Subrogation of town or city to claim for damages.
Status: in_force

Upon drawing an order as provided in §§ 4-13-20 and 4-13-21, the town or city may recover, in a civil action against the keeper or owner of any dog involved in the damage, full compensation for the damage done by his or her dog and costs of appraisal. Should the person suffering loss avail himself or herself of the provisions in §§ 4-13-20  4-13-22, he or she shall not be entitled to maintain a suit for damages against the owner or keeper of the dog.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-9-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-9 / Section 4-9-8
§ 4-9-8. Treatment of animals to prevent normal reaction to tests  Sale or removal of reactors.
Status: in_force

No person shall treat any animal with any material or substance nor in any manner for the purpose of preventing normal reaction on the part of the animal to any diagnostic test. No person shall knowingly sell or offer for sale any animal that has reacted positively to any USDA approved official tuberculosis test or the blood test for brucellosis. No animal that has reacted to any USDA approved official tuberculosis test other test shall be sold or removed from the premises where the test was made without permission, in writing, from the director of environmental management.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-4-2 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-4 / Section 4-4-2
§ 4-4-2. Compensation of commissioners and veterinarians  Duties  Removal.
Status: in_force

Subject to chapter 4 of title 36, the director of environmental management is authorized to fix the compensation of the cattle commissioners and veterinary surgeons, to prescribe their duties, and to remove them when deemed expedient.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-14-6 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-14 / Section 4-14-6
§ 4-14-6. Disposition of proceeds of sale.
Status: in_force

The proceeds of sale, after paying all the damages, costs, and expenses, with the costs of advertising and selling the beasts, shall be paid into the city or town treasury, for the use of the owner of those beasts, if he or she substantiates his or her claim within two (2) years from sale.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-10-10 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-10 / Section 4-10-10
§ 4-10-10. Display of license.
Status: in_force

Every person operating a vehicle used in the business of buying, selling, and/or transporting live poultry shall deposit or display in that vehicle in some easily accessible place a license to engage in that business as provided by § 4-10-3.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-5 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-5
§ 4-19-5. Pet shop licenses.
Status: in_force

No person shall operate a pet shop, as defined in this chapter, unless a license to operate that establishment shall have been granted by the director. Application for that license shall be made in the manner provided by the director. The license period is the states fiscal year and the license fee is one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each license period or part thereof beginning with the first day of the fiscal year.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-15-10 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-15 / Section 4-15-10
§ 4-15-10. Delivery of unclaimed animal to city or town treasurer.
Status: in_force

If no owner appears within five (5) days from the date of notification, or notice, and pays the penalty and charges, the poundkeeper shall deliver the animal to the city or town treasurer of the city or town, with a statement, in writing, of the time and manner in which the animal was impounded and of the proceedings of that poundkeeper in relation to the animal, together with an account of the charges and expenses due from the owner of the animal to the poundkeeper by virtue of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-7-23 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-7 / Section 4-7-23
§ 4-7-23. Penalty for violations.
Status: in_force

Any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter shall be punished for the first offense by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) and for any subsequent offense by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200) or by revocation of license for not more than one year.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-12.1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-12.1
§ 4-19-12.1. Public health exemptions.
Status: in_force

Destruction of animals using gas shall be permitted only by state agencies for the protection of public health. In addition, companies permitted by the department of environmental management pursuant to § 20-1-18 shall also be exempt from this ban on the use of gas.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-7-2 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-7 / Section 4-7-2
§ 4-7-2. Rules and regulations  Terms of licenses  License and renewal fees.
Status: in_force

The director of environmental management may make rules and regulations governing animal care, the issuance of licenses and the carrying out of the licensed business and relative to the maintenance of premises, buildings and conveyances, the health rating of livestock intended for sale, and the method and time of inspection and checking of those animals. Each license shall expire on the thirtieth (30th) day of June of each year. The fee for every license or renewal is one hundred dollars ($100).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-15-15 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-15 / Section 4-15-15
§ 4-15-15. Veterinarians emergency treatment of animals  Immunity from liability.
Status: in_force

(a) Any licensed veterinarian of this state has the right to treat any animal which has become injured upon any public highway of this state or upon any public or private property of this state which is transported to that veterinarian by any person.

(b) If in the veterinarians opinion the injuries sustained by the animal will result in death, the veterinarian has the right to apply euthanasia to eliminate any unnecessary suffering.

(c) If, at the conclusion of a seventy-two (72) hour period the legal owner of the animal has not been identified or presented himself or herself to the veterinarian, the veterinarian has the right to return the animal to the animal control warden or dog officer of the community where the animal was injured for disposition. The animal warden or dog officer shall have the right to dispose of the animal in accordance with the ordinances set forth by the community.

(d) The veterinarian, animal control officer, or dog officer, or any person shall not be held liable for any actions taken by them in the treatment or care of the animal by the owner should the owner become known and the owner shall then be responsible for any fees reasonably incurred in the treatment and care of the animal.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-10 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-10
§ 4-13-10. Thoroughbred dogs exempt  Kennel licenses.
Status: in_force

No license fee is imposed on any thoroughbred dogs kept for breeding and stud purposes only; provided, that the dog is owned by a breeder or annual exhibitor of thoroughbred dogs; and provided, further, that the dogs are kept in a breeding kennel licensed in accordance with the provisions of this section, and only allowed at large in charge of the owner or keeper of that kennel. Every owner or keeper of thoroughbred dogs may make application to the city or town clerk or board of police commissioners or chief of police granting the dog licenses in the town or city in which that kennel is proposed to be located for what shall be known as a kennel license. The application states the name or names of the owner and keeper of the kennel, the proposed location of the kennel, and the number of dogs to be kept; and that the dogs are to be kept only for breeding and stud purposes. If that town or city clerk or board of police commissioners or chief of police deems that the kennel and the use and operation of that kennel at that location would not constitute a public nuisance, he, she, or they shall issue a kennel license authorizing the owner or keeper to keep the kennel in the definite location to be specified in the license, upon the payment by the applicant of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the license. Every kennel license is for a period not exceeding one year and expires on the first day of April. All moneys received shall be credited to the dog fund of the town or city. Any person without a kennel license who establishes or keeps a kennel shall be fined not exceeding five dollars ($5.00) for each day the kennel is kept.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-15-7 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-15 / Section 4-15-7
§ 4-15-7. Fees paid to poundkeeper.
Status: in_force

(a) The owner of any impounded animal shall not take the animal out of the pound until he or she first pays to the poundkeeper, the expenses of keeping that animal, no regard being had to the milk derived from the animal, and the fees of the poundkeeper for receiving the animal into the pound, namely: for each horse and neat-beast, not more than five dollars ($5.00); for each sheep and hog, not more than three dollars ($3.00); for every notification set up, or notice given to the owner, not more than one dollar ($1.00); and the following penalties, namely: for every horse, neat-beast, hog, and sheep, not more than two dollars ($2.00) as by ordinance provided by each town or city.

(b) The Richmond town council is authorized to enact ordinances:

(1) Prohibiting the owner or custodian of any animal including, but not limited to, horses, cattle, goats, sheep, swine, emus, llamas, alpacas, rabbits, poultry, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, pea fowl, peacocks, ostriches, reptiles, and birds, to allow that animal to be at large;

(2) Authorizing the animal control officer or any police officer to seize and impound any animal found off the property of its owner or custodian;

(3) Imposing the penalties prescribed by 4-13-1(b)(12) for allowing any animal to be at large; and

(4) Permitting the animal control officer or any police officer to issue citations for violations and to provide for payment of fines by mail.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-10-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-10 / Section 4-10-4
§ 4-10-4. Limited and unlimited licenses  Bond.
Status: in_force

Licenses shall be issued in two (2) forms:

(1) A limited license which permits the licensee to do business on a United States currency basis only.

(2) An unlimited license issued to any person, firm, or corporation, as referred to in § 4-10-3, who furnishes a bond with sufficient surety in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), executed by a surety company authorized to do business within this state, payable to any poultry producer residing in this state that has sold live poultry to that licensed dealer, conditioned upon the faithful performance of all legal obligations incurred in the buying of live poultry from the poultry producer.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-12-10 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-12 / Section 4-12-10
§ 4-12-10. Quarantines inside state  Seizure  Inspection  Notice  Eradication  Lien for expenses.
Status: in_force

(a) Whenever the director finds there exists in this state, or any part of this state, a harmful disease or pest of honey bees, which, for the protection of the apiculture and/or agriculture industry within the state, should be prevented from spreading and be controlled or eradicated, the director shall adopt and carry out any restrictive and control measures as may be deemed necessary and advisable and shall cooperate with other state agencies and with the United States department of agriculture.

(b) The director shall promulgate regulations establishing quarantines and quarantine restrictions covering areas in the state affected by these honey bee diseases or pests, and other areas within the state which are likely to be affected by these diseases and pests.

(c) Under these quarantines the director or authorized personnel shall prohibit and prevent the movement, shipment, or transportation without inspection of any honey bees, used beekeeping equipment, or any other regulated material or article of any character capable of carrying this disease or pest in any stage of its development, originating in or which has been stored in quarantined areas or in any area outside the state infested with this disease or pest, except under any conditions as the director may prescribe as to inspection, treatment and certification. In carrying out the provisions of this section the director or authorized personnel may intercept, stop and detain for official inspection any person, car, vessel, boat, truck, automobile, aircraft, wagon, or other vehicles or carriers whether air, land or water, and may open and inspect any container or shipment thought to be carrying this disease or pest in any stage of its development. Any honey bees, used beekeeping equipment, or any other regulated articles moved, shipped, or transported in violation of this quarantine shall be seized and treated, destroyed or otherwise disposed of in accordance with the instructions of the director.

(d) Under these quarantines the director shall require the treatment or destruction of infected or infested honey bee colonies as may be necessary to effectively destroy or prevent the development of this disease and pests of honey bees. It shall be the duty of the owner or person in charge of any apiary or any other regulated article within this quarantined area upon due notice, to take any action as is required within the time limit specified and in a manner designated by the director.

(e) In case the owner or person in charge of any apiary, used beekeeping equipment or other regulated articles within the quarantined area neglects or refuses to carry out the instructions of the director contained in the notice within time limits specified, the director or authorized personnel shall take the action required, and the director shall have and enforce a lien for the expense against the place in or upon which the expense was incurred in the same manner as liens are had and enforced upon buildings and lots, wharves and piers for labor and materials furnished by virtue of contract with the owner.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-1
§ 4-13-1. Regulatory ordinances  Enforcement and penalties.
Status: in_force

(a) City or town councils may make any ordinances concerning dogs in their cities or towns as they deem expedient, to be enforced by the destruction or disposition of the animal, or by pecuniary penalties not exceeding ten dollars ($10.00) for the first offense, not exceeding fifteen dollars ($15.00) for the second offense within a year, not exceeding twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the third and any subsequent offense within a year to be recovered by action of debt, or by complaint and warrant, to use as that city council or town council may prescribe.

(b)(1) Barrington town council is authorized to enact an ordinance:

(i) Permitting the animal control officer in the town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for violation of any animal control ordinance which may be paid by mail; and

(ii) To prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(A) A fine of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(B) A fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine of not more seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(2)(i) Bristol town council is authorized to enact an ordinance permitting the dog officer in that town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any dog ordinance which may be paid by mail, and to prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(A) A fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(B) A fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(ii) The Bristol town council may by ordinance prescribe the number of licensed dogs and their breeds which may be kept at any single-family residence other than a breeding kennel licensed under §4-13-10, and may enforce those ordinances by pecuniary penalties not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars ($250).

(3) Coventry town council is authorized to enact ordinances permitting the dog officer in the town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any dog ordinance which may be paid by mail.

(4)(i) Cumberland town council may prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(A) A fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(B) A fine not exceeding seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(ii) The town council of the town of Cumberland is authorized to enact an ordinance permitting the animal control officer or any police officer in that town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any dog ordinance which may be paid by mail.

(iii) The town council of the town of Cumberland is authorized to enact an ordinance establishing the expense of the impoundment of dogs as determined by the town council and providing for the payment to the town of the impoundment expense by the dog owner prior to removal of the dog from the pound.

(5) Glocester town council is authorized to enact an ordinance to prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(i) A fine not more than twenty dollars ($20.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(ii) A fine not more than thirty dollars ($30.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(iii) A fine not more than thirty-five dollars ($35.00) for the third offense and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(6) Jamestown town council may prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(i) A fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(ii) A fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(iii) A fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(7)(i) Middletown may prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows for the violation of animal control ordinances on any beach within the town of Middletown:

(A) A fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for the first (1st) offense within the calendar year;

(B) A fine not exceeding one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for the second (2nd) offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine not exceeding two hundred dollars ($200) for the third (3rd) and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(ii) Middletown may prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows for the violation of animal control ordinances anywhere else within the town:

(A) A fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(B) A fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine not exceeding one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(iii) The Middletown town council is authorized to enact an ordinance permitting the dog officer in that town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any dog ordinance which may be paid by mail.

(8) Narragansett town council is authorized to enact an ordinance:

(i) Permitting the animal control officer in the town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any animal control ordinance which may be paid by mail; and

(ii) Establishing the expense of the impoundment of dogs as determined by the town council and providing for the payment to the town of the impoundment expense by the dog owner prior to removal of the dog from the pound; and

(iii) Prescribing pecuniary penalties as follows:

(A) A fine of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(B) A fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine of not more than seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(9) Newport city council is authorized to enact an ordinance:

(i) Permitting the animal control officer, and his or her agents, in that city to issue citations to the owners of dogs for violation of any animal control ordinance which may be paid by mail;

(ii) To prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(A) A fine of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(B) A fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(10) North Providence town council is authorized to enact an ordinance permitting the animal control officer in that town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any dog ordinance which may be paid by mail.

(11)(i) Portsmouth may prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(A) A fine not exceeding twenty dollars ($20.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(B) A fine not exceeding thirty dollars ($30.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(ii) The Portsmouth town council is authorized to enact an ordinance permitting the dog officer in that town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any dog ordinance which may be paid by mail.

(iii) The Portsmouth town council may, by ordinance, prescribe the number of licensed dogs which may be kept at any single-family residence other than a breeding kennel licensed under §4-13-10 and may enforce those ordinances by pecuniary penalties not exceeding twenty-five dollars ($25.00).

(12) The Richmond town council is authorized to enact ordinances:

(i) Establishing the following penalties for animal control offenses:

(A) A fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first offense within one year;

(B) A fine of not more than seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for the second offense within one year of the first offense;

(C) A fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) for the third and each subsequent offense within one year of the first offense.

(ii) Permitting the animal control officer or any police officer to issue citations for violation of any animal control ordinance punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars ($500) or less, and to provide for payment of those fines by mail.

(13)(i) Scituate town council may prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(A) A fine not exceeding twenty dollars ($20.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(B) A fine not exceeding thirty dollars ($30.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(ii) Scituate town council is authorized to enact ordinances permitting the dog officer in the town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any dog ordinance which may be paid by mail.

(14) Smithfield town council is authorized to enact an ordinance:

(i) Permitting the animal control officer in the town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any animal control ordinance which may be paid by mail; and

(ii) To prescribe penalties for violation of the provisions of revised general ordinances, town of Smithfield, Rhode Island 2003, as amended, chapter 126, entitled animals.

(15) Tiverton town council may prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(i) A fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense;

(ii) A fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense;

(iii) A fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for the third and each subsequent offense.

(16) Warwick city council may prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(i) A fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(ii) A fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(iii) A fine not exceeding two hundred dollars ($200) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year; and

(iv) A fine not exceeding three hundred dollars ($300) for the fourth and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(17) Westerly town council is authorized to enact an ordinance:

(i) Permitting the animal control officer in the town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any animal control ordinance which may be paid by mail; and

(ii) Establishing the expense of the impoundment of dogs as determined by the town council and providing for the payment to the town of the impoundment expense by the dog owner prior to removal of the dog from the pound; and

(iii) Prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(A) A fine of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(B) A fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(18) West Greenwich town council is authorized to enact an ordinance:

(i) Permitting the animal control officer in the town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any animal control ordinance which may be paid by mail; and

(ii) Establishing the expense of the impoundment of dogs as determined by the town council and providing for the payment to the town of the impoundment expense by the dog owner prior to removal of the dog from the pound; and

(iii) Prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(A) A fine of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(B) A fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(19) The town council of the town of Exeter is authorized to enact any ordinance prescribing fines and penalties, in addition to those otherwise allowed by law, as follows:

(i) Providing a fine of up to twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense;

(ii) Providing a fine of up to one hundred dollars ($100) for the second offense; and

(iii) Providing a fine of up to two hundred dollars ($200) for the third and for any subsequent offenses within a one-year period. In addition, the town may require proof of owners liability insurance for a twelve-month (12) period insuring against injury and damages caused by the dog. That insurance shall be in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) and shall name the town as a named insured for the purposes of notice.

(20) West Warwick town council may prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(i) A fine not exceeding fifteen dollars ($15.00) for the first offense;

(ii) A fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense;

(iii) A fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for the third and each subsequent offense.

(21) Woonsocket city council is authorized to enact an ordinance:

(i) Permitting the animal control office of the city to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any animal control ordinance which may be paid by mail;

(ii) Establishing the expense of the impoundment of dogs as determined by the city council and providing for the payment to the city for the impoundment expense by the dog owner prior to removal of the dog from the pound; and

(iii) Prescribing pecuniary penalties as follows:

(A) A fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(B) A fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine of not more than one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(22) Pawtucket city council is authorized to prescribe pecuniary penalties directly related to its ordinance banning the owning or keeping of pit bulls in the city as follows:

(i) For a pit bull properly licensed according to the city ordinance:

(A) A fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for the first offense;

(B) A fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) on a second offense;

(C) A fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000) on a third offense.

(ii) For a pit bull that is not licensed pursuant to the exceptions in the city ordinance:

(A) A fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) on a first offense;

(B) A fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000) on a second or subsequent offense.

(iii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, Pawtucket may through its municipal court impose a sentence of imprisonment not exceeding thirty (30) days in addition to the fines in subsection (b)(22)(ii)(A) or (B).

(23)(i) The Lincoln town council is authorized to prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(A) A fine of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(B) A fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(C) A fine of not more than one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(ii) The Lincoln town council is authorized to enact an ordinance permitting the dog officer and police officers in that town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any dog ordinance, which citation may be paid by mail.

(24) The East Providence city council is authorized to enact an ordinance permitting the animal control officer or any police officer in that city to issue citations to persons in violation of any animal ordinances, which may be paid by mail, and to prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(i) A fine of not more than thirty dollars ($30.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(ii) A fine of not more than sixty dollars ($60.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(iii) A fine of not more than one hundred twenty dollars ($120) for the third offense within a calendar year; and

(iv) A fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300) for the fourth offense and any subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(25) The Warren town council is authorized to enact an ordinance permitting the animal control officer in the town to issue citations to the owners of animals for violation of any animal control ordinance which may be paid by mail, and to prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(i) A fine of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(ii) A fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(iii) A fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(26) The Burrillville town council is authorized to enact an ordinance:

(i) Permitting the animal control officer in the town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any animal control ordinance which may be paid by mail; and

(ii) To prescribe penalties for violation of the provisions of revised general ordinances, Town of Burrillville, Rhode Island, 2004, as amended, Chapter 4, entitled Animals; and

(iii) Establishing an expense not to exceed ten dollars ($10.00) for the day during which impoundment occurs plus five dollars ($5.00) every day the animal is detained and providing for the payment to the town of the impoundment expense by the dog owner prior to removal of the dog from the animal control facility.

(27) The Foster town council is authorized to enact ordinances permitting the dog officer in the town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any dog ordinance, which may be paid by mail, and may prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(i) A fine not exceeding twenty dollars ($20.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(ii) A fine not exceeding thirty dollars ($30.00) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(iii) A fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.

(28) The Hopkinton town council is authorized to enact ordinances permitting the dog officer in the town to issue citations to the owners of dogs for the violation of any dog ordinance, which may be paid by mail, and may prescribe pecuniary penalties as follows:

(i) A fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first offense within a calendar year;

(ii) A fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for the second offense within a calendar year;

(iii) A fine not exceeding one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for the third and each subsequent offense within a calendar year.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-10-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-10 / Section 4-10-1
§ 4-10-1. Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter:

(1) Director means the director of environmental management.

(2) Farmers cooperative means a nonprofit association of producers organized with or without capital stock for the purpose of producing and/or selling food commodities.

(3) License means the certificate issued by the director to any person, firm, partnership, or corporation regularly engaged in the business of buying, selling and/or transporting live poultry to be sold or used for food.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-17-7 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-17 / Section 4-17-7
§ 4-17-7. Exemption of ritual slaughter.
Status: in_force

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit, abridge, or in any way hinder the religious freedom of any person or group. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, in order to protect freedom of religion, ritual slaughter and the handling or other preparation of livestock for ritual slaughter are exempted from the terms of this chapter. For the purposes of this section, the term ritual slaughter means slaughter in accordance with § 4-17-2(2)(ii).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-15-3 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-15 / Section 4-15-3
§ 4-15-3. Impoundment of animals at large on highways.
Status: in_force

If any horse, neat-beast, sheep, or hog is going at large in any highway or common, or on any land thrown open as a way for public travel and used by the public for travel, any freeholder or qualified elector or field driver may, and every surveyor of highways of the town within which that animal is at large shall, take up the animal and impound it in one of the public pounds of that city or town, and every surveyor of highways of the city or town may appoint in writing a deputy or deputies for that purpose, filing in the office of the city or town clerk a copy of that appointment.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-15 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-15
§ 4-1-15. Expense of care of seized birds or animals.
Status: in_force

The necessary expenses incurred in the care and disposing of seized birds or animals may be allowed and paid in the same manner that costs in criminal prosecutions are paid.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-2-10 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-2 / Section 4-2-10
§ 4-2-10. Inspection, sampling, and analysis.
Status: in_force

(a) For the purpose of enforcement of this chapter, and in order to determine whether its provisions have been complied with, including whether or not any operations may be subject to those provisions, officers or employees designated by the director, upon presenting appropriate credentials, and a written notice to the owner, operator, or agent in charge, are authorized:

(1) To enter, during normal business hours, any factory, warehouse, or establishment within the state in which commercial feeds are manufactured, processed, packed, or held for distribution, or to enter any vehicle being used to transport or hold those feeds; and

(2) To inspect at reasonable times and within reasonable limits and in a reasonable manner the factory, warehouse, establishment, or vehicle and all pertinent equipment, finished and unfinished materials, containers, and labeling. The inspection may include the verification of only those records, and production and control procedures as may be necessary to determine compliance with the good manufacturing practice regulations established under § 4-2-9(a).

(b) A separate notice shall be given for each inspection, but a notice shall not be required for each entry made during the period covered by the inspection. Each inspection shall be commenced and completed with reasonable promptness. Upon completion of the inspection, the person in charge of the facility or vehicle shall be so notified.

(c) If the officer or employee making the inspection of a factory, warehouse, or other establishment has obtained a sample in the course of the inspection upon completion of the inspection and prior to leaving the premises he or she shall give to the owner, operator, or agent in charge a receipt describing the samples obtained.

(d) If the owner of any factory, warehouse, or establishment described in subsection (a), or the owners agent, refuses to admit the director or the directors agent to inspect in accordance with subsections (a) and (b), the director is authorized to obtain from the attorney general a warrant directing the owner or the owners agent to submit the premises described in the warrant to inspection.

(e) For the purpose of the enforcement of this chapter, the director or the directors designated agent is authorized to enter upon public or private premises including any vehicle of transport during regular business hours to have access to, and obtain samples, and to examine records relating to distribution of commercial feeds.

(f) Sampling and analysis shall be conducted in accordance with methods published by the association of official analytical chemists, or in accordance with other generally recognized methods.

(g) The results of all analysis of official samples shall be forwarded by the director to the person named on the label and to the purchaser. When the inspection and analysis of an official sample indicates a commercial feed has been adulterated or misbranded and upon request within thirty (30) days following receipt of the analysis the director shall furnish to the registrant a portion of the sample concerned.

(h) The director, in determining for administrative purposes whether a commercial feed is deficient in any component, shall be guided by the official sample as defined in § 4-2-3(13) and obtained and analyzed as provided for in subsections (c), (e), and (f) of this section.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-4-18 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-4 / Section 4-4-18
§ 4-4-18. City and town ordinances.
Status: in_force

The city and town councils of the several cities and towns may pass any ordinances as they think proper, to prevent the spread of infectious or contagious diseases among cattle and other animals within their cities and towns, and may prescribe penalties for the violation of the ordinances, not exceeding twenty dollars ($20.00) for any one offense.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-11-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-11 / Section 4-11-1
§ 4-11-1. Birds subject to chapter.
Status: in_force

Psittacine birds as referred to in this chapter include all birds known as parrots, Amazons, Mexican double heads, African grays, cockatoos, macaws, parakeets, love birds, lories, lorikeets, and all other birds of the psittacine family.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-7 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-7
§ 4-1-7. Live poultry containers.
Status: in_force

Any crate or other container used for the purpose of transporting, shipping, or holding for sale any live poultry shall be in a sanitary condition and shall be constructed so as to provide sufficient ventilation and warmth and the poultry, while in that container, shall receive any reasonable care as may be required to prevent unnecessary suffering. Any person violating any provision of this section shall, for each offense, be imprisoned not exceeding fifteen (15) days or be fined not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100), or both.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-24-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-24 / Section 4-24-4
§ 4-24-4. Breeding permits.
Status: in_force

(a) No person shall cause or allow any cat owned or harbored in the city or town in which they live to breed without first obtaining a breeding permit under this section.

(b) Each city or town animal control officer shall administer a permit program to allow the breeding of cats consistent with criteria and according to procedures contained in the city or town ordinances; provided, however, that where citys or towns have ordinances, specifically prohibiting the breeding of cats it shall be the citys or towns ordinances that shall govern with respect to that subsection or provision only.

(c) Each applicant who is issued a permit to breed cats under this section shall pay an annual breeding permit fee of one hundred dollars ($100) per cat.

(d) No person shall cause or allow the breeding of a male or female cat without first obtaining a breeding permit issued by the animal control officer. Breeding permits shall be valid for twelve (12) months, renewable on an annual basis for a fee of one hundred dollars ($100) per cat. Herein, all breeding permits shall contain the following terms and conditions and be subject to all of the following requirements:

(1) No offspring may be sold or adopted and permanently placed until reaching an age of at least eight (8) weeks;

(2) No offspring may be sold or adopted until immunized against common diseases as determined by the director of environmental management in accordance with chapter 4 of this title to be contagious or injurious to public health or to the health of other animals;

(3) Any permit holder advertising to the public the availability of any animal for adoption or sale must prominently display the permit number in any publications in which they advertise. The permit number must be provided to any person adopting or purchasing any animal bred by the permit holder; and

(4) The breeding permit holder shall adhere to minimum standards regarding the care and keeping of animals pursuant to chapter 19 of this title.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-9-9 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-9 / Section 4-9-9
§ 4-9-9. Penalty for violations.
Status: in_force

(a) Any person, firm or corporation willfully and knowingly violating subsections 4-9-2(b) or 4-9-3(b) shall be subject to a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100).

(b) Any person, firm or corporation willfully and knowingly violating § 4-9-8 is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250), or by imprisonment not exceeding six (6) months, or both for the first offense; and not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250), nor more than five hundred dollars ($500) or by imprisonment not exceeding six (6) months, or both, for each subsequent offense.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-9 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-9
§ 4-19-9. Operation as a pet shop, kennel, breeder or public auction without a license.
Status: in_force

Any person who operates as a pet shop, kennel, breeder, or public auction without a currently valid license shall, upon conviction, plea of guilty, or plea of nolo contendere, be punished pursuant to § 4-19-11.3. Each day of operation shall constitute a separate offense. Advertisement of services consistent with the operation of a pet shop, kennel, breeder, or public auction shall be sufficient evidence of operation of a pet shop, kennel, breeder, or public auction as applicable.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-14-15 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-14 / Section 4-14-15
§ 4-14-15. Judgment for plaintiff in replevin.
Status: in_force

If it appears, upon the default of the defendant or otherwise, that the beasts were taken without sufficient or justifiable cause, the plaintiff shall have judgment for his or her damages caused by the unjust taking and detaining of the beasts, and for his or her costs of suit.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-18-5 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-18 / Section 4-18-5
§ 4-18-5. Issuance of import permits.
Status: in_force

Issuance of import permits for animals listed under § 4-18-3 may be made by the department upon:

(1) Submission of written application providing the information enumerated under § 4-18-4 not less than seven (7) days preceding the probable date of shipment;

(2) Completion of an inspection indicating that the quarantine facility or premises designated in the application are adequate;

(3) Payment of the necessary permit fees required under § 4-18-8;

(4) Determination by the department that the public health and safety is not endangered; and

(5) Approval of the probable point of first arrival into this state.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-8-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-8 / Section 4-8-4
§ 4-8-4. Proof of financial security.
Status: in_force

(a) A license shall not be issued as provided in § 4-8-3 unless the applicant for that license files with the application, a sworn financial statement in any form and giving any information that the director of environmental management may demand. The financial statement shall be made and executed under oath or written declaration that it is made under penalty of perjury.

(b) The director shall issue a license as provided in § 4-8-3, only when the financial statement is deemed by the director to be adequate for the protection of the producers of milk selling to that dealer. If, in the judgment of the director, following examination and investigation of the financial statement, adequate financial security is not evident, the applicant shall be required before a license is issued, to furnish good and sufficient surety or sureties in any form and in any sums as the director deems necessary for the adequate protection of the producers selling to that dealer. Failure to furnish a financial statement or surety or sureties when demanded by the director shall be sufficient cause for refusal to grant a license or for the suspension or revocation of that license after the license has already been granted.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-14-2 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-14 / Section 4-14-2
§ 4-14-2. Animals breaking into enclosure  Action for damages  Impoundment.
Status: in_force

If any neat-cattle, horses, sheep, or hogs breaks through a lawful fence into the enclosure of any person, the person aggrieved may recover his or her damages either by action against the owner of the trespassing beasts or by impounding the beasts.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-22-9 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-22 / Section 4-22-9
§ 4-22-9. Adoption of municipal ordinance.
Status: in_force

No provision of this chapter shall prohibit any city or town from adopting any provision of this chapter as a municipal ordinance.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-2 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-2
§ 4-19-2. Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter, chapter 13 of this title, and the regulations promulgated under this chapter:

(1) Adequate feed means the provision at suitable intervals, not to exceed twenty-four (24) hours, of a quantity of wholesome foodstuff suitable for the species and age, sufficient to maintain a reasonable level of nutrition in each animal. The foodstuff shall be served in a sanitized receptacle, dish, or container.

(2) Adequate veterinary care means care by a licensed veterinarian sufficient to prevent the animal from experiencing unnecessary or unjustified physical pain or suffering.

(3) Adequate water means a constant access to a sufficient supply of clean, fresh, potable water provided in a sanitary manner and provided at suitable intervals for the species to maintain the health of the animal(s) and not to exceed twenty-four (24) hours at any interval.

(4) Adopt means when an adopting party voluntarily acquires and assumes responsibility for an animal from a releasing agency that is properly licensed or registered by the department.

(5) Adopting party means any person who enters into a contract acquiring an animal from a releasing agency that is properly licensed or registered by the department.

(6) Ambient temperature means the temperature surrounding the animal.

(7) Animal means any dog or cat, rabbit, rodent, nonhuman primate, bird or other warm-blooded vertebrate, amphibian, fish, or reptile but shall not include horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, and domestic fowl.

(8) Animal rescue or rescue means an entity, without a physical brick-and-mortar facility, that is owned, operated, or maintained by a duly incorporated humane society, animal welfare society, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or other nonprofit organization devoted to the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of animals intended for adoption.

(9) Animal shelter means a brick-and-mortar facility that is used to house or contain animals and that is owned, operated, or maintained by a duly incorporated humane society, animal welfare society, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or other nonprofit organization devoted to the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of animals.

(10) Breeder means a person engaged in the propagation of purebred or crossbred dogs and/or cats for the purpose of improving and enhancing a breed recognized and registered by the American Kennel Club, American Field Stud Book, a registered cat breed association, or for sale at wholesale or retail, unless otherwise exempted as a hobby breeder as defined below.

(11) Broker means any third party who arranges, delivers, or otherwise facilitates transfer of ownership of animal(s), through adoption or fostering, from one party to another, whether or not the party receives a fee for providing that service and whether or not the party takes physical possession of the animal(s) at any point.

(12) Dealer means any person who sells, exchanges, or donates, or offers to sell, exchange, or donate, animals to another dealer, pet shop, or research facility, or who breeds animals for the purpose of selling or donating to another dealer or pet shop or research facility.

(13) Director means the director of environmental management of the state of Rhode Island.

(14) Dog officer or animal-control officer means any person employed, contracted, or appointed by the state, or any political subdivision of the state, for the purpose of aiding in the enforcement of this chapter or any other law or ordinance relating to the licensing of dogs, cats, or other animals; the control of dogs, cats, or other animals; or the seizure and impoundment of dogs, cats, or other animals and includes any state or municipal peace officer, animal-control officer, sheriff, constable, or other employee whose duties, in whole or in part, include assignments that involve the seizure or taking into custody of any dog, cat, or other animal.

(15) Euthanasia means the humane destruction of an animal accomplished by a method that involves instantaneous unconsciousness and immediate death or by a method that involves anesthesia, produced by an agent that causes painless loss of consciousness and death during that loss of consciousness.

(16) Guardian shall mean a person(s) having the same rights and responsibilities of an owner, and both terms shall be used interchangeably. A guardian shall also mean a person who possesses, has title to or an interest in, harbors, or has control, custody, or possession of an animal and who is responsible for an animals safety and well-being.

(17) Hobby breeder means those persons whose regular occupation is not the breeding and raising of dogs and cats and whose method of sale is at retail only. A hobby breeder shall not exceed the whelping of greater than two (2) litters of dogs or cats, or combination of dogs and cats, in any one calendar year. Any person who exceeds these limits will be defined as a breeder.

(18) Housing facility means any room, building, or area used to contain a primary enclosure or enclosures.

(19) Kennel means a place or establishment, other than a pound or animal shelter, or veterinary hospital that is housing animals during their treatment, where animals not owned by the proprietor are sheltered, fed, and watered in return for a fee. This definition shall not apply to the following:

(i) Sheltering, feeding, and watering in return for a fee in a residential setting, of no more than four (4) animals not owned by the proprietor, subject to any applicable municipal ordinance that may be more restrictive;

(ii) Any entity that sells a dog or cat.

(20) Licensed releasing agency means any animal shelter, animal-rescue, pound, animal-control officer, or broker that is required to be licensed or registered with the director pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and is so licensed or registered.

(21) Neuter means to surgically render a male dog or cat unable to reproduce.

(22) Person means any individual, partnership, firm, joint stock company, corporation, association, trust, estate, or other legal entity.

(23) Pet shop means an establishment where animals are bought, sold, exchanged, or offered for sale or exchange to the general public at retail. This shall not include an establishment or person whose total sales are the offspring of canine or feline females maintained on their premises and sold from those premises and does not exceed the limits set forth in § 4-25-1(4).

(24) Pound or dog pound means a facility operated by a state, or any political subdivision of a state, for the purpose of impounding or harboring seized, stray, homeless, abandoned, or unwanted dogs, cats, and other animals or a facility operated for that purpose under a contract with any municipal corporation or incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals.

(25) Primary enclosure or enclosure means the most proximal barrier to an animal that will have the intended purpose or effect of containment of that animal or that will effectively restrict the liberty of the animal.

(26) Public auction means any place or location where dogs or cats are sold at auction to the highest bidder regardless of whether those dogs or cats are offered as individuals, as a group, or by weight.

(27) Research facility means any place, laboratory, or institution at which scientific tests, investigations, or experiments involving the use of living animals are carried out, conducted, or attempted.

(28) Sanitize means to make physically clean and to remove and destroy, to a practical minimum, agents injurious to health.

(29) Sexual maturity means when a dog or cat reaches six (6) months. In all instances, the licensed releasing agency or a licensed veterinarian will determine the age of the dog or cat.

(30) Spay means to surgically render a female dog or cat unable to reproduce.

(31) State veterinarian means a licensed veterinarian from the department of environmental management.

(32) Trainer means those persons who actively engage in the application of behavior analysis using the environmental events of antecedents and consequences to modify the behavior of an animal, either for the animal to assist in specific activities or undertake particular tasks, or for the animal to participate effectively in contemporary domestic life, and who keep, board, or retain possession of the animal for at least one overnight period, with the exception of those persons engaged in these activities for dog training programs operated by government agencies and for dog training programs operated by a not-for-profit or exempt nonprofit organization pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-24-6 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-24 / Section 4-24-6
§ 4-24-6. Revocation of permit.
Status: in_force

(a) Any permit issued may be revoked if the animal control officer has reasonable cause to believe any of the following to be true:

(1) The permittee has violated the provisions of chapter 19 of this title or any other state or local ordinances relating to the keeping, care or use of any animal;

(2) The permittee is in violation of any state health or safety law or regulation regarding animal care or control;

(3) The permittee has failed to comply with any condition or requirement of the permit or has failed to pay any fee imposed under this section;

(4) The permittee refuses to allow inspection, upon forty-eight (48) hours of written notice, of any cat covered by the permit or the premises on which the animal is kept; or

(5) The permittee has transferred, sold or otherwise disposed of the cat for which the permit was issued.

(b) If, after investigation, the animal control officer concludes that it is probable that one or more of the above grounds for revocation has occurred, he or she shall cause written notice thereof to be transmitted by mail to the address of the permittee. The notice shall specify the grounds of possible revocation of the permit, and shall specify a date and time for an informal hearing to be held before the animal control officer. The date shall be not less than five (5) days subsequent to the date the notice is mailed. After the informal hearing, the animal control officer may modify the terms of the permit or revoke the permit. Provided, further, that if the health or well-being of the animal is in danger the animal control officer of that city or town may take custody and control of the animal until such time that a hearing is conducted pursuant to this subsection.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-24-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-24 / Section 4-24-8
§ 4-24-8. Abandonment of cats.
Status: in_force

If any cat is abandoned by their owner or any person having charge or custody of that cat, that person shall, for each offense be punished in the manner provided in § 4-1-2.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-8-14 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-8 / Section 4-8-14
§ 4-8-14. Grounds for denial or revocation of license.
Status: in_force

The director of environmental management may decline to grant a license or may revoke a license already granted when he or she is satisfied of the existence of the following cases or either of them:

(1) Where a money judgment has been secured by any milk producer and has been entered against the applicant or licensee and remains unsatisfied of record.

(2) Where there has been a failure to make prompt settlements to persons from whom the applicant buys milk, with intent to defraud.

(3) Where there have been combinations to fix prices.

(4) Where there has been a continual course of dealing of such nature as to satisfy the director of the inability of the applicant or licensee to properly conduct the business or of an intent to deceive or defraud customers.

(5) Where there has been a continued and persistent failure to keep records, required by the director, in accordance with this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-20 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-20
§ 4-19-20. Severability.
Status: in_force

If any provision of this chapter or the application of any provision to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the remainder of the chapter and the application of any provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid shall not be affected by this invalidity.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-11 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-11
§ 4-19-11. Mistreatment of animals.
Status: in_force

Failure of any person, firm, or corporation, licensed or registered, under the provisions of this chapter, to adequately house, feed, and water animals in his or her possession or custody, as delineated in any rules and regulations promulgated under the authority of this chapter, shall constitute a misdemeanor, and the person, firm, or corporation shall be subject to a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) per animal; and forfeiture of the animal(s); and revocation of license and/or certificate after a public hearing. Any animals that are suspected of being mistreated may be seized by the state veterinarian to ensure adequate welfare pursuant to § 4-1-31(f) with the cost of care for the aforementioned animals to be determined in the manner prescribed by that section.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-20-3 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-20 / Section 4-20-3
§ 4-20-3. Presence of veterinarian required.
Status: in_force

No person, firm, corporation, or association shall conduct or promote any rodeo without requiring the presence of a veterinarian licensed to practice in Rhode Island during the time that this event is taking place. The veterinarian employed shall be one who has had experience in the treatment of large animal life for a period of not less than two (2) years. All expenses incurred for the presence of and services rendered by the veterinarian employed shall be the responsibility of the promoter of the event.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-18-2 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-18 / Section 4-18-2
§ 4-18-2. Definitions.
Status: in_force

For the purposes of this chapter:

(1) Animal means any wild animal or bird specified under the provisions of § 4-18-3.

(2) Approved quarantine facility means a facility approved by the department for the quarantine confinement of imported animals.

(3) Department means the Rhode Island department of environmental management.

(4) Euthanasia means the human destruction of an animal accomplished by a method that involves instantaneous unconsciousness and immediate death or by a method that involves anesthesia, produced by an agent which causes painless loss of consciousness, and death during that loss of consciousness.

(5) Housing facility means any room, building, or area used to contain a primary enclosure or enclosures during the required period of quarantine.

(6) Person means any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, or company.

(7) Primary enclosure means any structure used to immediately restrict an animal or animals to a limited amount of space, such as a room, pen, run, cage, or compartment within the quarantine facility.

(8) Primate means a nonhuman member of the highest order of mammals, including prosimians, monkeys, and apes as specified in § 4-18-3.

(9) Standards means the requirements with respect to the quarantine housing, handling, care, treatment, and transportation of imported animals.

(10) Veterinarian means a person authorized to practice veterinary medicine in Rhode Island.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-4-21 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-4 / Section 4-4-21
§ 4-4-21. Inspectors on roads and railroads.
Status: in_force

The director may appoint suitable and discreet persons, on or near the several highways, turnpike roads, railroads, and thoroughfares in the state, who shall inquire into all violations of this chapter and report those violations to the director.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-21 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-21
§ 4-19-21. Use of the terms owner or guardian.
Status: in_force

Wherever the word owner shall appear in this chapter it shall also mean and may be interchanged with the word guardian as defined in § 4-19-2.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-3.2 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-3.2
§ 4-1-3.2. Animal confinement in motor vehicles prohibited.
Status: in_force

(a) No owner or person shall confine any animal in a motor vehicle that is done in a manner that places the animal in a life-threatening or extreme health-threatening situation by exposing it to a prolonged period of extreme heat or cold without proper ventilation or other protection from such heat or cold. In order to protect the health and safety of an animal, an animal control officer, law enforcement officer, or fire fighter who has probable cause to believe that this section is being violated shall have the authority to enter such motor vehicle by any reasonable means necessary under the circumstances after making a reasonable effort to locate the owner or other responsible person.

(b) A law enforcement or animal control officer may take all steps that are reasonably necessary to remove an animal from a motor vehicle if the animals health, safety, or well-being appears to be in immediate danger from heat, cold, or lack of adequate ventilation and the conditions could reasonably be expected to cause extreme suffering or death.

(c) Nothing in this section shall prevent a law enforcement officer or animal control officer from removing an animal from a motor vehicle if the animals safety appears to be in immediate danger from heat, cold, lack of adequate ventilation, lack of food or water or other circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause suffering, disability, or death to the animal. A law enforcement officer or animal control officer may enter the motor vehicle for the sole purpose of rescue or release of the animal and may not search the vehicle unless otherwise permitted by law.

(d) A law enforcement or animal control officer who removes an animal in accordance with this section shall, in a secure and conspicuous location on or within the motor vehicle, leave written notice bearing the officers or agents name and office and the address of the location where the animal may be retrieved. The owner may retrieve the animal only after payment of all charges that have accrued for the maintenance, care, medical treatment, and impoundment of the animal.

(e) A law enforcement or animal control officer who removes an animal from a motor vehicle pursuant to this section is immune from criminal or civil liability that might otherwise result from the removal.

(f) Any person who knowingly violates this section shall be punished by imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or by a fine of no more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-2-11 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-2 / Section 4-2-11
§ 4-2-11. Withdrawal, condemnation, and confiscation of commercial feeds.
Status: in_force

(a) Withdrawal from distribution orders. When the director or the directors authorized agent has reasonable cause to believe any lot of commercial feed is being distributed in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or of any of the prescribed regulations under this chapter, he or she may issue and enforce a written or printed withdrawal from distribution order, warning the distributor not to dispose of the lot of commercial feed in any manner until written permission is given by the director or the court. The director shall release the lot of commercial feed so withdrawn when those provisions and regulations have been complied with. If compliance is not obtained within thirty (30) days, the director may begin, or upon request of the distributor or registrant shall begin, proceedings for condemnation.

(b) Condemnation and confiscation. Any lot of commercial feed not in compliance with those provisions and regulations shall be subject to seizure on complaint of the director to a court of competent jurisdiction in the area in which the commercial feed is located. In the event the court finds the commercial feed is in violation of this chapter and orders the condemnation of that commercial feed, it shall be disposed of in any manner consistent with the quality of the commercial feed and the laws of the state. In no instance shall the disposition of the commercial feed be ordered by the court without first giving the claimant an opportunity to apply to the court for release of the commercial feed or for permission to process or relabel the commercial feed to bring it into compliance with this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-10-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-10 / Section 4-10-8
§ 4-10-8. Issuance and revocation of licenses.
Status: in_force

Each license shall be issued annually and may be revoked by the director for cause. If in the judgment of the director any provision of this chapter or any rule or regulation made under this chapter has been violated, the director shall send notice by registered or certified mail to the licensee who shall be given a hearing and if violation is proven his or her license shall be revoked.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-5-17 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-5 / Section 4-5-17
§ 4-5-17. Willful violations of import requirements.
Status: in_force

When any person is shown to have knowingly brought into this state an animal suffering, or suspected to be suffering, with tuberculosis, or to have concealed the existence of that disease in any animal owned by him or her, that person is not entitled to any compensation for the animal slaughtered under this chapter, and is deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be fined for that offense not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-2-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-2 / Section 4-2-4
§ 4-2-4. Registration.
Status: in_force

(a) No person shall manufacture a commercial feed in this state, unless he or she has filed with the director on forms provided by the director, his or her name, place of business and location of each manufacturing facility in this state.

(b) No person shall distribute in this state a commercial feed except a customer formula feed, which has not been registered pursuant to this section. The application for registration, accompanied by a sixty dollar ($60.00) per brand registration fee, shall be submitted in the manner prescribed by the director, on forms furnished by the director. A tag, label, or facsimile for each brand to be registered must accompany the application. Upon approval by the director, the registration shall be issued to the applicant. All registrations expire on the 31st day of December of each year.

(c) The director is empowered to refuse registration of any commercial feed not in compliance with this chapter and to cancel any registration subsequently found not to be in compliance with any provisions of this chapter provided, that no registration shall be refused or canceled unless the registrant has been given an opportunity to be heard before the director and to amend his or her application in order to comply with the requirements of this chapter.

(d) Changes of either chemical or ingredient composition of a registered commercial feed may be permitted with no new registration required provided there is satisfactory evidence that those changes would not result in a lowering of the guaranteed analysis of the product for the purpose for which designed, and provided a new label is submitted to the director notifying the director of the change.

(e) All moneys received by the director under this chapter shall be deposited as general revenues and shall consist of all fertilizer registration and tonnage fees paid pursuant to §§ 2-7-4 and 2-7-6 and fees paid pursuant to § 4-2-4.

(f) All moneys appropriated for the feed and fertilizer quality testing program shall be made available for the following purposes:

(1) To support the feed and fertilizer testing laboratory for the testing and analysis of commercial feeds distributed within this state for the expressed purpose of detection of deficiency.

(2) For payment of ancillary services, personnel and equipment incurred in order to carry out the purposes of quality assurance defined by this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-4-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-4 / Section 4-4-8
§ 4-4-8. Exposure of diseased animals to contact with healthy animals.
Status: in_force

No person having the care or custody of any animal having any one of the diseases mentioned in this chapter or chapter 5 of this title, shall, knowing the animal to have any of the diseases mentioned in this chapter or chapter 5 of this title, sell or exchange, or permit the removal, use or driving of that animal upon any public highway, or the exposure of that animal to contact with any other healthy animal of the same kind, except by permission of the director of environmental management. Any person so doing is deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on being convicted shall be fined not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-10 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-10
§ 4-19-10. Dealing in animals without a license.
Status: in_force

Any person who operates as a dealer of animals, as defined in this chapter, without a currently valid license shall, upon conviction, plea of guilty, or plea of nolo contendere, be punished pursuant to § 4-19-11.3. Each day of operation shall constitute a separate offense.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-4
§ 4-13-4. Dog licenses  Fees  Penalties.
Status: in_force

(a)(1) Every owner or keeper of a dog shall annually, in April, obtain a license effective May 1 through the office of the city or town clerk of the city or town in which the owner or keeper resides.

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

(3) No city or town shall issue any license under this section unless the dog has been inoculated against rabies for the period of time which the license would be valid.

(4) All licenses issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be valid in every city or town during the then-current year.

(5) Any person who becomes the owner or keeper of a dog shall obtain a license within thirty (30) days after he or she becomes the owner or keeper.

(6)(i) The Cumberland town clerk may issue a license renewable every two (2) years for a licensing fee of six dollars ($6.00).

(ii) Glocester town council may provide for an annual licensing fee of fourteen dollars ($14.00) for all dogs, except spayed or neutered females and males, and for an annual licensing fee of seven dollars ($7.00) for spayed or neutered female and male dogs.

(iii) Jamestown town council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee not to exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) for neutered dogs, and not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for unneutered dogs.

(iv) Newport city council may, however, provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee of not more than ten dollars ($10.00) for all spayed and neutered dogs, and for an annual licensing fee of not more than fifteen dollars ($15.00) for unspayed females and unneutered males.

(v) North Smithfield town council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee of five dollars ($5.00) for all dogs.

(vi)(A) South Kingstown town council may provide for an annual licensing fee of twelve dollars ($12.00) for all dogs, except spayed or neutered female and male dogs, and for an annual licensing fee of seven dollars ($7.00) for spayed or neutered female and male dogs.

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

(vii)(A) Westerly town council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual license fee of ten dollars ($10.00) for unspayed female dogs and unneutered male dogs;

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

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

(D) May provide for the number of licensed dogs which may be kept at any single-family residence, other than a breeding kennel; and

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

(viii) Woonsocket city council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee of five dollars ($5.00) for all dogs.

(ix)(A) West Warwick town council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual license fee of seven dollars ($7.00) for each neutered male or spayed female and fifteen dollars ($15.00) for each unneutered male and unspayed female.

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

(x)(A) Pawtucket city council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee not to exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) for spayed or neutered dogs, and not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for unspayed or unneutered dogs.

(B) May provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee for dogs owned by residents age 65 or older not to exceed five dollars ($5.00) for spayed or neutered dogs, and not to exceed ten dollars ($10.00) for unspayed or unneutered dogs.

(xi) Scituate town council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual license fee not to exceed twenty ($20.00) dollars for all dogs.

(xii) Burrillville town council may:

(A) Provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee of not more than ten dollars ($10.00) for all dogs; and

(B) Provide for pecuniary penalties not exceeding twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for violations.

(xiii) The Middletown town council may:

(A) Provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per dog.

(xiv) Foster town council may:

(A) Provide, by ordinance, for an annual or biennial licensing fee not to exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) for all dogs; and

(B) Provide for pecuniary damages not exceeding twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for violations.

(b) Every person, owning or keeping a dog not licensed and/or collared according to the provisions of this chapter, shall be fined ten dollars ($10.00) to be applied to the support of the city or town, and that fine shall be in addition to all other lawful fees.

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

(d) In the city of Woonsocket, every person owning or keeping a dog not licensed and/or collared according to the provisions of this chapter shall be fined fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first offense; one hundred dollars ($100) for the second offense; and one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for the third and subsequent offenses.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-17-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-17 / Section 4-17-4
§ 4-17-4. Method of slaughter.
Status: in_force

No slaughterer, packer, or stockyard operator shall bleed or slaughter any livestock except by a humane method.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-8-3 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-8 / Section 4-8-3
§ 4-8-3. Issuance of license  Terms.
Status: in_force

The director of environmental management shall issue to an applicant, on payment of twenty dollars ($20.00), a license entitling the applicant to conduct the business of buying milk and cream from producers for the stated purpose at an office or station at the place named in the application until the first day of July; provided, that if the application is presented in the month of May, and if the applicant elects, the license may be granted to begin on the first day of July and run for a term of one year. A license shall not be issued to any applicant if, during the year preceding the filing of the application, a complaint from any producer and seller of milk or cream has been filed with the director against that applicant for any of the grounds specified in § 4-8-14, and that complaint has been established as true and just, to the satisfaction of the director, after the complaint has been investigated by him or her in the manner provided by §§ 4-8-12 and 4-8-13.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-16-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-16 / Section 4-16-1
§ 4-16-1. Taking up on private land.
Status: in_force

If any person finds any horse, neat-beast, sheep, or hog on his or her land doing damage, not knowing to whom the animal belongs, he or she may take the animal as an estray, and within two (2) days report the estray to the city or town clerk of the city or town in which the animal was found.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-12-6 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-12 / Section 4-12-6
§ 4-12-6. Specialized examination  Inspection fees  Accessibility.
Status: in_force

(a) Any bees kept in anything other than a hive with removable frames (which must be reasonably removable) such as box hives or other receptacles, natural or artificial, shall be deemed impossible to inspect unless the owner of these bees removes the brood or makes the brood accessible to the director or inspectors. To permit inspection of the brood, the director may order the colonies to be transferred to removable frame hives within thirty (30) days. In the event the order is not carried out, these colonies may be destroyed by the director or appointed inspectors.

(b) On finding infection or infestation or exposure to infection or infestation the director or inspector shall require that the infected, infested, or exposed bees, hives, or equipment be treated, or, after unsuccessful treatment, destroyed.

(c) The director or appointed inspector shall require removal from the state or the destruction of honey bees or beekeeping equipment which has been brought into this state in violation of this law.

(d) After inspecting infected hives, beekeeping equipment or handling diseased bees, the inspector or the deputy inspector shall, before leaving the premises or proceeding to any other apiary, thoroughly disinfect any portion of the inspectors person, clothing and/or any tools used which may have come in contact with infected material, and shall see that any assistant or assistants with him or her have likewise thoroughly disinfected their persons and clothing and any tools used by them.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-22-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-22 / Section 4-22-1
§ 4-22-1. Findings and purpose.
Status: in_force

The state finds that a cat identification program, which would require an owner of a cat to maintain an identification for the cat, would serve the following public purposes:

(1) Cat identification would provide cats protection under the law, equal to that afforded dogs, by establishing ownership which, in turn, would encourage cat owners to take full responsibility for their pets welfare.

(2) Cat identification would protect cats, as dogs are now protected, by establishing minimum holding periods for cats released to and/or impounded by municipal animal control facilities and private animal shelters.

(3) A program to require cat identification should facilitate the return of lost, owned cats.

(4) Cat identification would provide a method to help distinguish between owned and unowned cat populations thus assisting animal control officers and animal shelters in carrying out their mission.

(5) Cat identification would advance the reduction of the untold suffering of cats at-large in our state by helping to insure the quick return of injured and sick animals to their owners.

(6) Passage of this bill would reduce the number of unowned cats and increase education to owners as to the need for sterilization of cats, thereby reducing unwanted litters, eliminating cat over-population problems, and reducing the costs to cities and towns for euthanizing at-large or unowned cats.

(7) Cat identification would help support public health and safety in the control of rabies.

The purpose of this chapter, therefore, is to establish a cat identification program, which would require that an owner of a cat maintain an identification for the cat. These measures will also reduce the spread of rabies.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-22-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-22 / Section 4-22-8
§ 4-22-8. Authorization to impound cats.
Status: in_force

Animal control officers and their agents are authorized and empowered to impound any roaming or feral cat at-large and to dispose of the same pursuant to the provisions of § 4-19-12. Licensed animal shelters are authorized to accept any roaming or feral cat released to them for impoundment and to dispose of the same pursuant to the provisions of § 4-19-12.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-2-12 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-2 / Section 4-2-12
§ 4-2-12. Penalties.
Status: in_force

(a) Any person convicted of violating any of the provisions of this chapter or who impedes, hinders, or otherwise prevents, or attempts to prevent, the director or his or her authorized agent in performance of his or her duty in connection with the provisions of this chapter shall be adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor and be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100) or more than two hundred dollars ($200) for the first violation, and not less than two hundred dollars ($200) or more than five hundred dollars ($500) for each subsequent violation.

(b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as requiring the director or the directors representative to:

(1) Report for prosecution;

(2) Institute seizure proceedings; or

(3) Issue a withdrawal from distribution order, as a result of minor violations of the chapter, or when he or she believes the public interest will best be served by suitable notice of warning in writing.

(c) It shall be the duty of the attorney general to whom any violation is reported to cause appropriate proceedings to be instituted and prosecuted in a court of competent jurisdiction without delay. Before the director reports violations for prosecution, an opportunity shall be given the distributor to present his or her view to the director.

(d) The director is authorized to apply for and the court to grant a temporary or permanent injunction restraining any person from violating or continuing to violate any of the provisions of this chapter or any rule or regulation promulgated under the chapter notwithstanding the existence of other remedies at law. The injunction shall be issued without bond.

(e) Any person adversely affected by an act, order, or ruling made pursuant to the provisions of this chapter may within forty-five (45) days bring action in superior court in the county where the enforcement official has his or her office for judicial review of those actions. The form of the proceeding is any which may be provided by the statutes of this state to review decisions of administrative agencies, or in the absence or inadequacy of a form of proceeding, any applicable form of legal action, including actions for declaratory judgments or writs or prohibitory or mandatory injunctions.

(f) Any person who uses to his or her own advantage, or reveals to other than the director, or the directors authorized agent(s), or to the courts when relevant in any judicial proceeding, any information acquired under the authority of this chapter, concerning any method, records, formulations, or processes which as a trade secret is entitled to protection, is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall on conviction be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or imprisoned for not more than one year or both. This prohibition shall not be deemed as prohibiting the director, or his or her authorized agent(s), from exchanging information of a regulatory nature with appointed officials of the United States government, or of other states, who are similarly prohibited by law from revealing this information.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-6 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-6
§ 4-19-6. Public auction and kennel licenses.
Status: in_force

(a) No person shall operate a public auction or a kennel, as defined in this chapter, unless a license to operate that establishment has been granted by the director. Application for the license shall be made in the manner provided by the director. The license period is the fiscal year and the license fee shall be fifty dollars ($50.00) for each license period or part thereof beginning with the first day of the fiscal year.

(b) This section shall not be interpreted to interfere in any manner with the issuing of a public auction or kennel license by any city or town, nor any fee charged by any city or town. No license shall be issued by the director except for those premises as shall be designated for the licensure by the respective city or town council.

(c) Pursuant to § 4-19-2(19), any person who provides the sheltering, feeding, and watering in return for a fee in a residential setting of no more than four (4) animals not owned by the proprietor is:

(1) Exempt from licensure as a kennel under this chapter; and

(2) Subject to inspection by an authorized agent of the department of environmental management (hereinafter the department) upon the department receiving a written complaint against the person. Only complaints related to animal care, animal health, and animal welfare may initiate an inspection. Any inspection that is conducted by the department shall be conducted during the hours of eight oclock a.m. (8:00 a.m.) through five oclock p.m. (5:00 p.m.), unless the person who is the subject of the complaint agrees to an inspection at another time; and

(3) Required to be compliant with the departments rules and regulations governing animal care facilities, RICR 250-RICR-40-05-4, §§ 4.7 and 4.8.A.1 through 8 (excluding the sanitation log requirements of § 4.8.A.3). Any inspection conducted by an authorized agent of the department shall be limited to the aforementioned sections and shall be limited to areas to which the animals being cared for have access. Any violations of these sections are punishable in accordance with § 4.12 of the rules and regulations governing animal care facilities and any appeal for any enforcement action shall be made in accordance with § 4.11.B of those rules and regulations; and

(4) Any person who is subject to inspection pursuant to the conditions set forth in subsection (c)(2), but who denies access to authorized inspectors from the department, is subject to a civil fine of three hundred fifty dollars ($350). Each day that access is denied shall constitute a separate punishable offense.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-2 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-2
§ 4-13-2. Tax imposed by cities and towns  Enactment of local laws to prevent damage to livestock.
Status: in_force

The city or town council of any city or town may impose a yearly tax upon every person in their city or town for every dog owned or kept by him or her as the council shall judge proper; and also make any laws to prevent damage to sheep and cattle as they may deem necessary.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-34.3 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-34.3
§ 4-1-34.3. Violations  Penalties.
Status: in_force

Any person found guilty of violating § 4-1-34 or 4-1-34.1 shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-8
§ 4-19-8. Denial of certificates of registration or licenses.
Status: in_force

(a) A certificate of registration may be denied to any pound or animal shelter, rescue, or broker, and a license may be denied to any public auction, kennel, breeder, pet shop, trainer, or dealer or, if granted, the certificate or license may be revoked by the director if, after a hearing, it is determined that the housing facilities and/or primary enclosures are inadequate for the purposes of this chapter or if the feeding, watering, sanitizing, and housing practices at the pound, animal shelter, public auction, pet shop, or kennel are not consistent with the intent of this chapter or with the intent of the rules and regulations that may be promulgated pursuant to the authority of this chapter.

(b) Upon revocation of a certificate of registration, all animals in the possession of the pound, rescue, broker, or animal shelter must be transferred to another licensed releasing agency for disposition.

(c) Upon the revocation of a license, all animals in the possession of the public auction, kennel, pet shop, breeder, trainer, or dealer must be disposed of by the former licensee in a manner approved by the department. Such disposition must not be for profit and must occur in a timeframe that is determined by the department. Inspectors from the department or from the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals must have access to the facility where the animals being housed by the former licensee are being held until disposition so that the welfare of said animals can be assured.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-20-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-20 / Section 4-20-4
§ 4-20-4. Rodeo events.
Status: in_force

Rodeo events involving animals/livestock shall be limited to bareback riding, saddle bronk riding, bull riding, calf roping, as provided in § 4-20-7, breakaway calf-roping, steer wrestling, team riding, barrel racing, team roping, wild horse racing, chuckwagon racing, quarter horse races, mounted flag races, trail riding events, obstacle course and pole bending events. This shall include any nonpublic practice or point gathering events which are conducted prior to or subsequent to any public performances.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-4-1.1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-4 / Section 4-4-1.1
§ 4-4-1.1. Animals defined.
Status: in_force

This chapter shall apply to all domestic animals defined in § 4-13.1-2(2) and any animal that the director of the department of environmental management has waived from the permit requirement in accordance with § 4-18-3.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-6-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-6 / Section 4-6-8
§ 4-6-8. Penalty for selling or transporting cattle in violation of chapter.
Status: in_force

Any person, firm, or corporation who buys, sells and/or transports cattle in violation of this chapter, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars ($200) for each animal bought, sold and/or transported.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-25-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-25 / Section 4-25-1
§ 4-25-1. Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter:

(1) Clinically ill means an illness that is apparent to a licensed veterinarian based on observation, examination, or testing of the dog.

(2) Nonelective surgical procedure means a surgical procedure that is necessary to preserve or restore the health of an animal or to correct a condition that would interfere with the animals ability to walk, run, jump or otherwise function in a normal manner.

(3) Purchaser means any person purchasing a dog from a seller, as defined in this section.

(4) Seller means any person, business or other entity engaging in the sale of dogs, except that this definition does not encompass the sale of dogs on the premises of and by a public shelter, pound or other entity operating as a nonprofit organization pursuant to Rhode Island law. Persons selling fewer than twenty (20) dogs or three (3) litters, whichever is greater, in a single calendar year shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-5-16 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-5 / Section 4-5-16
§ 4-5-16. Penalty for violation of import requirements.
Status: in_force

Any person taking cattle out of, or otherwise breaking, the quarantine provided for in § 4-5-14 or violating any other provision of §§ 4-5-12  4-5-15 shall be fined not less than twenty dollars ($20.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100) or be imprisoned for not more than thirty (30) days, or both.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-2-15 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-2 / Section 4-2-15
§ 4-2-15. Severability.
Status: in_force

If any clause, sentence, paragraph, or part of this chapter shall for any reason be judged invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, that judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder of the chapter but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, or part of the chapter directly involved in the controversy in which that judgment has been rendered.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-27 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-27
§ 4-1-27. Auction of lost or abandoned animals and poultry.
Status: in_force

(a) The general agent of the Rhode Island society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, within his or her discretion, may sell at public auction any lost or abandoned animals and poultry. Before proceeding to sale, the general agent shall give notice to the owners of the lost or abandoned animals by advertising once a week for three (3) successive weeks prior to the sale in some daily newspaper printed in English and published in this state.

(b) The agent is not liable in any legal action brought against him or her based on the sale. The proceeds of the sales shall be turned over to the Rhode Island society for the prevention of cruelty to animals to be used to defray the cost of shelter and care of animals which are the subject of the sale and to cover any costs incident to the sale.

(c) Any remaining proceeds from the sale shall be held for a period of two (2) years by the Rhode Island society for the prevention of cruelty to animals for the account of the rightful owner, who, upon making a claim and showing satisfactory evidence of ownership, shall be entitled to those proceeds. If unclaimed within that two (2) year period, the proceeds shall then become the property of the Rhode Island society for the prevention of cruelty to animals to be used for any and all purposes of the society.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-4-24 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-4 / Section 4-4-24
§ 4-4-24. State rules paramount to local.
Status: in_force

Whenever the director of environmental management makes and publishes any regulations concerning the extirpation, cure, or treatment of cattle or other domestic animals infected with, or which have been exposed to any contagious disease, those regulations shall supersede the regulations made by the authorities of the several towns and cities upon that subject, and the operation of those regulations made by those authorities shall be suspended during the time those made by the director are in force.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-16 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-16
§ 4-19-16. Mandatory spaying and neutering of dogs and cats adopted from a licensed releasing agency.
Status: in_force

(a)(1) No licensed releasing agency shall release, sell, trade, give away, exchange, adopt out, or otherwise transfer, with or without a fee, any dog or cat that has not been spayed or neutered unless the adopting party executes a written agreement with the licensed releasing agency to have the dog or cat spayed or neutered in accordance with subsections (a)(2) and (a)(3).

(2) The licensed releasing agency is authorized to enter into a written adoption agreement with the adopting party provided that at the time of execution of the written agreement, the licensed releasing agency collect from the adopting party an amount equal to the cost to the licensed releasing agency for the spaying or neutering of the dog or cat to be adopted. The written agreement must include the dog or cats age, sex, and general description; the date the adoption agreement was executed; the date by which the licensed releasing agency anticipates that the dog or cat will be spayed or neutered; the date by which the adoptive party shall claim the dog or cat; the adopting partys name, address, phone number, and signature; the licensed releasing agencys name, address, phone number, and the dollar amount remitted to the licensed releasing agency for the cost of spaying or neutering the dog or cat.

(3) After execution of the agreement, the licensed releasing agency shall cause the dog or cat to be spayed or neutered and, when medically fit, shall transfer custody of the dog or cat to the adopting party. Any dog or cat that is not claimed by the adoptive party within ten (10) days of the date enumerated in the written adoption agreement shall be considered unclaimed and may be offered for adoption to another party.

(b) The following are exemptions from the provisions of subsection (a):

(1) A licensed releasing agency returns a stray dog or cat to its owner.

(2) A licensed releasing agency receives a written report from a licensed veterinarian stating that the life of the dog or cat would be jeopardized by the surgery and that this health condition is likely to be permanent.

(3) A licensed releasing agency receives a written report from a licensed veterinarian stating that there is a temporary health condition, including sexual immaturity, which would make surgery life threatening to the dog or cat or impracticable, in which instance the licensed releasing agency shall enter into a written agreement for the spaying or neutering of the dog or cat upon resolution of the temporary health condition or the animal reaching maturity and shall collect from the adopting party an amount equal to the cost to the licensed releasing agency for the spaying or neutering of the dog or cat to be adopted. The licensed releasing agency may then allow the transfer of the dog or cat to the adopting party who shall return the dog or cat to the licensed releasing agency for spaying or neutering upon resolution of the temporary health condition or the animal reaching sexual maturity. The licensed releasing agency may grant the adopting party an appropriate extension of time in which to have the dog or cat spayed or neutered based on the veterinarians report.

(4) A licensed releasing agency transfers a dog or cat to another licensed releasing agency.

(c) If requested to do so, a licensed releasing agency shall refund fees collected for the purpose of spaying or neutering the dog or cat to the adopting party upon reasonable proof being presented to the releasing agency by the adopting party that the dog or cat died before the spaying or neutering was required to be completed.

(d) Any and all licensed releasing agencies:

(1) May enter into cooperative agreements with each other and with veterinarians in carrying out this section; and

(2) Shall make a good faith effort to cause an adopting party to comply with this section.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-16-10 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-16 / Section 4-16-10
§ 4-16-10. Limited application of chapter.
Status: in_force

The provisions of this chapter shall not extend to any city or town where other provisions on this subject are made by law.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-8
§ 4-13-8. Disposition of license fees.
Status: in_force

Towns and cities may adopt ordinances or regulations concerning the use of money received, but where no ordinances or regulations are adopted, town and city clerks shall issue licenses and receive the money and pay the money into the treasury of the city or town retaining fifty cents (50Â¢) for his or her own use for each license issued.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-14-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-14 / Section 4-14-1
§ 4-14-1. Animals at large  Civil liability  Penalty.
Status: in_force

No horse, bull, boar, ram, or goat shall be permitted to run at large and if the owner or keeper of these, for any reason suffers any animals to do so he or she shall upon conviction be fined not in excess of one hundred dollars ($100) and be liable in addition for all damages done by the animal while so at large, although the animal escapes without the fault of the owner or keeper. The construction of any lawful fence shall not relieve the owner or keeper from liability for any damage committed by an animal of the enumerated class upon the enclosed premises of an adjoining owner.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-21-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-21 / Section 4-21-4
§ 4-21-4. Posting and notification.
Status: in_force

(a) Every equine professional shall post and maintain signs which contain the warning notice specified in subsection (b). These signs shall be placed in a clearly visible location in the proximity of the equine activity. The warning notice specified in subsection (b) shall appear on the sign in black letters, with each letter to be a minimum of one inch in height. Every written contract entered into by an equine professional for the providing of professional services, instruction, or the rental of equipment or tack or an equine to a participant, whether or not the contract involves equine activities on or off the location or site of the equine professionals business, shall contain in clearly readable print the warning notice specified in subsection (b).

(b) The signs and contracts described in subsection (a) shall contain the following warning notice:

WARNING Under Rhode Island Law, an equine professional, unless he or she can be shown to have failed to be in the exercise of due care, is not liable for an injury to, or the death of, a participant in equine activities resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities, pursuant to this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-12-12 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-12 / Section 4-12-12
§ 4-12-12. Registration of apiaries.
Status: in_force

(a) All apiaries in the state must be registered, annually, with the director of environmental management not later than March first. All persons owning honey bees within the state shall annually notify the director of the keeping of bees, their location and number of colonies.

(b) Any person(s) within the state who sells, gives, barters, or otherwise transfers ownership of bees and/or honey bee colonies, and/or nuclei colonies shall notify the director, in writing, within thirty (30) days of the name and address of the new owner.

(c) Between 14 and 30 days prior to March first annually the director shall cause notice of the registration requirement to be published at least twice in the state newspaper and in other newspapers and journals of general circulation adequate to provide reasonable notice throughout the state.

(d) The director shall mail to all registered beekeepers the necessary registration material annually, at least thirty (30) days prior to March first.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-3-3 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-3 / Section 4-3-3
§ 4-3-3. Permit required to feed garbage.
Status: in_force

No person shall feed garbage to swine without first securing a permit from the director. This permit shall be renewed on the first day of July of each year.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-24 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-24
§ 4-19-24. Humane transportation of K-9 partners.
Status: in_force

(a) For the purposes of this section, police dog means: a dog owned by a police department or police agency of the state of Rhode Island or any political subdivision thereof, that is used by the department or agency for official duties.

(b) EMS personnel may provide emergency treatment to a police dog injured in the line of duty and transport the police dog by ambulance to a veterinary care facility equipped to provide emergency treatment to dogs; provided, however, that EMS personnel shall not transport an injured police dog if providing transport would inhibit their ability to provide emergency medical attention or transport to a person requiring such services.

(c) The department of health, in consultation with the Rhode Island veterinary medical association, the Rhode Island association of fire chiefs, the Rhode Island state association of firefighters, at least two (2) practicing, licensed emergency medical technicians, the international brotherhood of police officers K-9 officer, the fraternal order of polices K-9 officer, and the department of state polices K-9 unit, shall develop policies and procedures that include, but are not limited to:

(1) Appropriate training of EMS personnel to provide police dogs basic level first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and life-saving interventions, including, but not limited to, administering naloxone; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall authorize the provision of advanced life support care to a police dog;

(2) Safe handling procedures for injured police dogs, including, but not limited to, the use of a box muzzle and response coordination with a law enforcement official trained in handling police dogs;

(3) Identification of veterinary facilities that provide emergency treatment for injured police dogs;

(4) Decontamination of stretchers, the patient compartment, and any contaminated medical equipment after a police dog has been transported by ambulance or EMS vehicle; and

(5) Sterilization of the interior of an ambulance or EMS vehicle before being returned to human service, including, but not limited to, sanitizing all allergens and disinfection to a standard safe for human transport.

(d) The department of health may grant a waiver from this section if the department determines that compliance poses a safety risk to the public. The department shall develop regulations regarding applications and issuance of such a waiver.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-3-13 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-3 / Section 4-3-13
§ 4-3-13. Carrying of swill into Middletown.
Status: in_force

No person shall carry any house offal or swill into the town of Middletown, or permit the swill or offal so carried to be fed to swine on his or her premises, or to be deposited on or spread upon his or her land, in that town. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the carrying of swill or house offal through the town of Middletown to any other town. Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be for every offense fined not exceeding twenty dollars ($20.00) or be imprisoned not exceeding three (3) months.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-11-6 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-11 / Section 4-11-6
§ 4-11-6. Notice of intent to breed birds.
Status: in_force

Each person intending to breed psittacine birds shall file written notification of that intent with the local health officer and the state department of environmental management before engaging in that procedure annually each January first.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-2-3 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-2 / Section 4-2-3
§ 4-2-3. Definitions.
Status: in_force

When used in this chapter:

(1) Brand name means any word, name, symbol, or device, or any combination identifying the commercial feed of a distributor or registrant and distinguishing it from that of others.

(2) Commercial feed means all materials except whole seeds unmixed or physically altered entire unmixed seeds, when not adulterated within the meaning of § 4-2-7, which are distributed for use as feed or for mixing in feed. The director by regulation may exempt from this definition, or from specific provisions of this chapter, commodities such as hay, straw, stover, silage, cobs, husks, hulls, and individual chemical compounds or substances when those commodities, compounds, or substances are not inter-mixed or mixed with other materials, and are not adulterated within the meaning of § 4-2-7.

(3) Contract feeder means a person who as an independent contractor, feeds commercial feed to animals pursuant to a contract whereby that commercial feed is supplied, furnished, or otherwise provided to that person and whereby that persons remuneration is determined all or in part by feed consumption, mortality, profits, or amount or quality of product.

(4) Customer formula feed means commercial feed which consists of a mixture of commercial feeds and/or ingredients each batch of which is manufactured according to the specific instructions of the final purchaser.

(5) Distribute means to offer for sale, sell, exchange, or barter, commercial feed; or to supply, furnish, or otherwise provide commercial feed to a contract feeder.

(6) Distributor means any person who distributes.

(7) Drug means any article intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in animals other than humans and articles other than feed intended to affect the structure or any function of the animal body.

(8) Feed ingredient means each of the constituent materials making up a commercial feed.

(9) Label means a display of written, printed, or graphic matter upon or affixed to the container in which a commercial feed is distributed, or on the invoice or delivery slip with which a commercial feed is distributed.

(10) Labeling means all labels and other written, printed, or graphic matter:

(i) Upon a commercial feed or any of its containers or wrapper; or

(ii) Accompanying that commercial feed.

(11) Manufacture means to grind, mix, or blend, or further process a commercial feed for distribution.

(12) Mineral feed means a commercial feed intended to supply primarily mineral elements or inorganic nutrients.

(13) Official sample means a sample of feed taken by the director or his or her agent in accordance with § 4-2-10(c), (e), or (f).

(14) Percent or percentages means percentages by weights.

(15) Person means individual, partnership, corporation, and association.

(16) Pet means any domesticated animal normally maintained in or near the household(s) of the owner(s).

(17) Pet food means any commercial feed prepared and distributed for consumption by pets.

(18) Product name means the name of the commercial feed which identifies it as to kind, class, or specific use.

(19) Specialty pet means any domesticated animal pet normally maintained in a cage or tank, such as, but not limited to, gerbils, hamsters, canaries, psittacine birds, mynahs, finches, tropical fish, goldfish, snakes and turtles.

(20) Specialty pet food means any commercial feed prepared and distributed for consumption by specialty pets.

(21) Ton means a net weight of two thousand (2,000) pounds avoirdupois.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-1.3 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-1.3
§ 4-13-1.3. Rabies control board.
Status: in_force

(a) There shall be a rabies control board consisting of seven (7) people as follows:

(1) The director of the Rhode Island department of environmental management, or his or her designee;

(2) The director of the Rhode Island department of health, or his or her designee;

(3) A Rhode Island licensed veterinarian, appointed by the governor, who is a member of the Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association;

(4) A livestock farmer, appointed by the governor, who is a member of the Rhode Island Farm Bureau;

(5) A member of a recognized Rhode Island humane group (such as the Rhode Island Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), appointed by the governor;

(6) The state veterinarian, who shall serve as chairperson;

(7) A person employed as an animal control officer by a Rhode Island municipality, and who is recommended to serve on the rabies control board by the league of cities and towns, and who is appointed by the governor.

(b) All appointments made under this section after April 20, 2006, shall be subject to the advice and consent of the senate. The members of the board shall serve without compensation. The board members from the departments of health and environmental management shall serve at the discretion of their directors. The state veterinarian shall serve without term. Nongovernmental members shall serve for a period of three (3) years and reappointments shall be made by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate.

(c) Vacancies for citizen members shall be filled by appointment, in the same manner as the original appointment, for the unexpired term only. Four (4) members of the board shall constitute a quorum.

(d) Members of the board shall be removable by the governor pursuant to § 36-1-7 and for cause only. Removal solely for partisan or personal reasons unrelated to capacity or fitness for the office shall be unlawful.

(e) The board may elect from among its members such other officers as it deems necessary.

(f) The director of the department of environmental management shall direct staff to support the board within the constraints of available resources.

(g) Within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year, the board shall approve and submit an annual report to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the secretary of state of its activities during that fiscal year. The report shall provide: an operating statement summarizing meetings or hearings held, including meeting minutes, subjects addressed, decisions rendered, rules or regulations promulgated, studies conducted, policies and plans developed, approved or modified, and programs administered or initiated; a consolidated financial statement of all funds received and expended, including the source of the funds, a listing of any staff supported by these funds, a summary of any clerical, administrative, or technical support received; a summary of performance during the previous fiscal year including accomplishments, shortcomings, and remedies; a synopsis of any legal matters related to the authority of the board; a summary of any training courses held pursuant to subsection (h); a briefing on anticipated activities in the upcoming fiscal year; and findings and recommendations for improvements. The report shall be posted electronically as prescribed in § 42-20-8.2. The director of the department of administration shall be responsible for the enforcement of this provision.

(h) Newly appointed and qualified members and new designees of ex officio members of the board are required to complete a training course within six (6) months of their qualification or designation. The course shall be developed by the chair of the board, approved by the board, and conducted by the chair of the board. The board may approve the use of any board or staff members or other individuals to assist with training. The course shall include instruction in the following areas: chapters 13 of title 4, 46 of title 42, 14 of title 36 and 2 of title 38; and the boards rules and regulations. The director of the department of administration shall, within ninety (90) days of April 20, 2006, prepare and disseminate training materials relating to the provisions of chapters 46 of title 42, 14 of title 36 and 2 of title 38.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-11 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-11
§ 4-1-11. Attendance at bird or animal fight.
Status: in_force

Whoever is present at any place, building, or tenement where preparations are being made for an exhibition of the fighting of birds or animals, with the intent being present at that exhibition, or is present at that exhibition, shall be fined not exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) or imprisoned for not more than two (2) years, or both.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-5-2 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-5 / Section 4-5-2
§ 4-5-2. Identification of reactors.
Status: in_force

Any animal showing a positive reaction to a tuberculin test shall be classified as a reactor and be identified in a manner which is recommended by the United States livestock sanitary association, and the animal disease eradication branch of the agricultural research service, United States department of agriculture.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-7-17 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-7 / Section 4-7-17
§ 4-7-17. Bill of sale required.
Status: in_force

No person shall transport livestock in connection with the sale of the livestock from place to place upon any public highway or road in this state unless he or she has in his or her possession a bill of sale signed by the vendor or agent of the vendor and containing the vendors address, the date of transaction, number of livestock, and/or weight, breed and price of livestock and such other information as in the discretion of the director will describe the livestock and establish the proper ownership. The information shall be available at any time to the director or his or her authorized agent or agents.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-21-3 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-21 / Section 4-21-3
§ 4-21-3. Exceptions.
Status: in_force

(a) This chapter does not apply to horse racing meetings to which chapter 3 of title 41 is applicable.

(b) Nothing in §4-21-2 prevents or limits the liability of an equine activity sponsor, an equine professional, or any other person if the equine activity sponsor, equine professional, or person:

(1)(A) Provided the equipment or tack, and knew or should have known that the equipment or tack was faulty, and the equipment or tack was faulty to the extent that it did cause the injury; or

(B) Provided the equine and failed to make reasonable and prudent efforts to determine the ability of the participant to engage safely in the equine activity, and determine the ability of the participant to safely manage the particular equine based on the participants representations of his or her ability;

(2) Owns, leases, rents, has authorized use of, or is otherwise in lawful possession and control of the land, or facilities upon which the participant sustained injuries because of a dangerous condition which was known or should have been known to the equine activity sponsor, equine professional, or person;

(3) Commits an act of omission that constitutes willful or wanton disregard for the safety of the participant, and that act of omission caused the injury; or

(4) Intentionally injures the participant.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-24-3 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-24 / Section 4-24-3
§ 4-24-3. Spaying and neutering.
Status: in_force

(a) No person, as defined by § 4-19-2, shall own or harbor, within the state, any cat over the age of six (6) months which has not been spayed or neutered, unless such person has adopted a cat from a licensed releasing agency as defined by § 4-19-2 and is subject to the spaying and neutering requirements of § 4-19-16 or holds either a license to keep an unaltered cat, or a license and permit for breeding cats issued by the animal control officer for the city or town in which they live, or unless the caretaker states that, due to age, health or illness it would be inappropriate to spay or neuter the cat and having in their possession a letter from a licensed veterinarian stating such, which shall be provided to the animal control officer.

(b) An intact permit shall be issued for an unaltered cat if the owner signs a written statement that such animal will not be allowed to breed unless the owner has first obtained a breeding permit. An intact permit may be issued by the animal control officer to an individual who refuses to spay or neuter their cat. The fee for such a permit shall be one hundred dollars ($100) per year. All funds from intact permits shall be deposited in the city or towns spay/neuter account.

(c) Any person providing care or sustenance for an uninterrupted period of sixty (60) days or longer shall be deemed the owner of such animal and shall adhere to the provisions of this chapter. Provided, further, that cities and towns may, by ordinance, require a permit of persons who provide care or sustenance for colony(s) of feral cats.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-34 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-34
§ 4-13-34. Correction of defects in prosecutions.
Status: in_force

Any defect in any action, complaint and warrant, indictment or other proceeding commenced and prosecuted under this chapter, either of form or substance, may be amended by the court before which the action, complaint and warrant or indictment is originally brought or may be pending.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-43 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-43
§ 4-1-43. Use of bullhooks or similar devices on elephants prohibited.
Status: in_force

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person who houses, possesses, or is in direct contact with an elephant utilized in a traveling show shall not:

(1) Use a bullhook, ankus, baseball bat, axe handle, pitchfork, or similar device designed to inflict pain for the purpose of training or controlling the behavior of an elephant; or

(2) Permit an employee, agent, or contractor to use a bullhook, ankus, baseball bat, axe handle, pitchfork, or similar device designed to inflict pain for the purpose of training or controlling the behavior of an elephant.

(b) For purposes of this section traveling show means a circus, public show, trade show, photographic opportunity, carnival, city or county fair, ride, parade, race, performance or similar undertaking that involves transporting elephants from location to location or otherwise moves elephants away from a place of permanent residency for performance purposes. The term traveling show does not include the transportation of an elephant between nonprofit United States Department of Agriculture licensed sanctuaries for the purpose of providing lifetime care.

(c) Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) per violation, or imprisoned for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-15.1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-15.1
§ 4-13-15.1. Ordinances concerning unrestricted and vicious dogs prohibited  Leash laws.
Status: in_force

(a) City or town councils may make any ordinances concerning dogs in their cities or towns as the councils deem expedient, pertaining to the conduct of dogs, which ordinances shall include regulations relating to unrestricted dogs, leash laws, confinement, and destruction of vicious dogs. Those ordinances may provide as follows:

(1) Every owner or custodian of a dog shall cause that dog not to run unrestricted anywhere in the city or town. This section does not apply to any person who uses a dog under his or her direct supervision while lawfully hunting, while engaged in a supervised formal obedience training class or show or during formally sanctioned field trials.

(2) It is unlawful for any owner of a dog to place that dog or allow it to be placed in the custody of any other person not physically capable of maintaining effective control of restricting the dog.

(3) The city or town dog officer is empowered to seize and impound any dog found off the property of its owner or custodian when that dog is unrestricted.

(4) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be fined not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars ($250).

(b) The town council of the town of Westerly is authorized to enact an ordinance permitting the animal control officer in that town to issue citations to the owner of any dog found off the property of its owner or custodian and to prescribe a pecuniary penalty not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each violation.

(c) The town council of the town of Exeter is authorized to enact an ordinance imposing an initial fee of up to fifteen dollars ($15.00) for the impoundment of a dog plus two dollars ($2.00) per day for each day of impoundment. The town of Exeter may also, in addition to the fines provided for under subsection (a)(4) of this section and under any other provision of law, require proof of liability insurance for a twelve (12) month period in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for third time offenders of its animal control ordinances. Said insurance policy shall cover injuries and damages caused by the dog and shall, for purposes of notice, name the town as an additional insured.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-16-6 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-16 / Section 4-16-6
§ 4-16-6. Appraisal  Sale of unclaimed animals.
Status: in_force

In case no owner appears within thirty (30) days, the person who took up the animal shall go to the city or town clerk, taking with him or her two (2) electors of the neighborhood whom the city or town clerk shall engage to make a faithful and true appraisal of the animal, and the person who took up the animal shall pay the sum the animal shall be appraised at, after all just charges are deducted, into the hands of the city or town clerk. If the person fails to pay the appraised amount, the animal shall be sold at public auction after reasonable notice under the direction of the city or town clerk for the payment of those charges, and in either case the balance shall be retained for the use of the owner.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-12-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-12 / Section 4-12-4
§ 4-12-4. Inspectors  Qualification.
Status: in_force

Any person appointed by the director as an apiary inspector shall be a practical beekeeper who before being appointed shall furnish the director with satisfactory evidence that the appointee possesses a practical knowledge of beekeeping and is familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of honey bee diseases and honey bee pests and/or is a graduate of an agricultural college with qualifying training in apiculture. The state inspector, or appointed deputies and assistants, may not own more than fifty (50) colonies of honey bees.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-19 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-19
§ 4-13-19. Order to confine or kill vicious dog  Subsequent damages.
Status: in_force

(a) If any person, or any member of his or her family shall be assaulted by any dog, out of the enclosure of its owner or keeper, or if any person shall have reason to believe that any dog will, out of that enclosure, do any injury to his or her person, family or property, and shall make complaint under oath, to any judge of the district court, that judge shall issue a summons to the owner or keeper of the dog, to appear before the division of the district court having jurisdiction of the case; and if, on examination, the court shall believe that the assault is proved, or that the complaint has reasonable grounds for the belief, it shall adjudge, and shall adjudge that the defendant pay costs of the proceedings and award execution of the proceedings, otherwise the costs shall be paid by the complainant; and the court shall issue written notice to the owner or keeper, and the owner or keeper shall forthwith confine or kill the dog; and if he or she neglects to kill the dog or keep the dog confined, he or she shall forfeit the sum of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100), to be recovered for the use of the city or town, and any person may kill the dog; and if, after that notice, the dog wounds or injures any person, or shall, elsewhere than on its owners or keepers premises, worries, wounds or kills any neat-cattle, sheep, lamb, geese or fowl, or does any other mischief, the owner or keeper is liable to pay the person injured triple damages with costs; and in all cases of complaints under this section recognizance shall be given for costs, and the fees and costs shall be the same as in other cases of complaints before the district court.

(b) The district court judge may, in his or her discretion, if the court determines the dog, while out of the enclosure of its owner or keeper, has assaulted a person or killed a domesticated animal and is dangerous, order the detention or destruction of the dog.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-27-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-27 / Section 4-27-1
§ 4-27-1. Short title.
Status: in_force

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Research Animal Retirement Act.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-8
§ 4-1-8. Sale of chicks and ducklings  Dyeing prohibited.
Status: in_force

It is unlawful for any person to dye a chick, duckling, or other live poultry, or to have in his or her possession any chick, duckling, or other live poultry which has been dyed. No person shall sell or offer for sale any live chicks or ducklings under two (2) months of age in quantities of less than twelve (12), and provided further, that no person, firm, corporation or association shall offer live chicks or ducklings under two (2) months of age as a bonus, or as an inducement to the sale of or in conjunction with the purchase of any article. Any person, firm, or corporation violating this section shall for each offense be punished in the manner provided in § 4-1-2. No pet store shall sell chicks or ducklings in any quantity.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-17-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-17 / Section 4-17-1
§ 4-17-1. Declaration of policy.
Status: in_force

It is declared and determined as a matter of legislative finding that the use of humane methods in the slaughter of livestock prevents needless suffering, results in safer and better working conditions for persons engaged in the slaughtering industry, brings about improvement of products and economy in slaughtering operations, and produces other benefits for producers, processors, and consumers that tend to expedite the orderly flow of livestock and their products. It is declared to be the policy of the state to require that the slaughter of all livestock and the handling of livestock, in connection with slaughter, be carried out only by humane methods and to provide that methods of slaughter conform generally to those employed in other states where humane slaughter is required by law and to those authorized by the Federal Humane Slaughter Act of 1958, 7 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq., and regulations under that act.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-26-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-26 / Section 4-26-1
§ 4-26-1. Short title.
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Rhode Island Livestock Welfare and Care Standards Advisory Council Act of 2012.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-12-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-12 / Section 4-12-1
§ 4-12-1. Title.
Status: in_force

Sections 4-12-1  4-12-17 shall be known as the Rhode Island Apiculture Law.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-4-5 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-4 / Section 4-4-5
§ 4-4-5. Right of entry where disease suspected.
Status: in_force

The director of the department of environmental management or the directors duly authorized representatives, having reason to suspect the existence of any of the diseases mentioned in this chapter upon any grounds or premises, are hereby authorized and empowered to enter upon those grounds or premises for the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-15 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-15
§ 4-19-15. Access of inspectors to property.
Status: in_force

Any authorized representative of the director, and the general agent of the Rhode Island society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, has the power to enter at reasonable times upon any private or public property for the purposes of inspection and investigating conditions relating to the provisions of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-5-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-5 / Section 4-5-4
§ 4-5-4. Appraisal of condemned animals.
Status: in_force

(a) For the purposes of § 4-5-3, the veterinarian and the agent assigned by the director shall constitute the board of appraisers, and the estimate of value by those two (2) persons is final, except as otherwise provided. Written notice of the amount of the appraisal, signed by the board of appraisers, is to be immediately given to the owner or claimant of the animal. Any party aggrieved by an award made under this section may appeal to the director of environmental management within five (5) days after the receipt of the notice.

(b) Appraisals are based upon current receipts at nearby public auctions or public sales.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-3-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-3 / Section 4-3-8
§ 4-3-8. Access of inspectors to property.
Status: in_force

Any authorized representative of the director has the power to enter at reasonable times upon any private or public property for the purposes of inspection and investigating conditions relating to the treating of garbage to be fed to swine as required by §§ 4-3-1  4-3-11.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-10-16 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-10 / Section 4-10-16
§ 4-10-16. Penalty for violations.
Status: in_force

Any person violating the provisions of this chapter shall be punished for the first offense by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) and for any subsequent offense by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200) or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both the fine and imprisonment.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-6-6 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-6 / Section 4-6-6
§ 4-6-6. Indemnities.
Status: in_force

Indemnities shall be paid by the state for brucellosis reactors on the same basis and in the same manner as now provided for tuberculosis reactors.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-4-17 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-4 / Section 4-4-17
§ 4-4-17. Importation or exposure of diseased animals.
Status: in_force

Any person bringing into the state any neat cattle or other animals which he or she knows to be infected with any infectious or contagious disease, or who exposes the cattle or other animals, known to him or her to be infected, to other cattle and animals not infected with an infectious or contagious disease, shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-29 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-29
§ 4-1-29. Release of caged animals in park or zoo.
Status: in_force

It is unlawful for any person to willfully release an animal from captivity in a park, circus, zoo or other such facility. Any person violating this section is be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-10-14 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-10 / Section 4-10-14
§ 4-10-14. Administrative powers of director  Rules and regulations.
Status: in_force

The director has authority to administer this chapter. He or she shall make and may modify rules and regulations necessary or incidental to the provisions of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-19 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-19
§ 4-19-19. Adoption of municipal ordinances.
Status: in_force

No provision of this chapter prohibits any city or town from adopting any provision of this chapter as a municipal ordinance.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-41 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-41
§ 4-13-41. Use of the terms owner or guardian.
Status: in_force

Wherever the word owner shall appear in this chapter it shall also mean and may be interchanged with the word guardian as defined in § 4-13-1.2.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-4-3 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-4 / Section 4-4-3
§ 4-4-3. Reporting of diseased animals  Destruction.
Status: in_force

Any owner of an animal suspected of having an animal disease determined by the director of environmental management to be contagious or injurious to public health or to the health of other animals, or any veterinarian who treats that animal, or any other person or institution having knowledge of a diseased animal, shall make a report of that information to the state department of environmental management in any manner and form as the department prescribes by regulation. The director of environmental management shall promulgate by rule a list of those animals determined to be contagious or injurious. The director of environmental management, if he or she determines an animal to have a contagious or communicable disease, shall cause that animal to be killed and the carcass to be disposed of in any manner as not to be detrimental to the public health.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-8-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-8 / Section 4-8-8
§ 4-8-8. Statement of disbursements  Additional bonds.
Status: in_force

A person or corporation licensed under this chapter shall make a statement under oath of his, her, or its disbursements during a period to be prescribed by the director of environmental management, containing the names of the persons from whom products were purchased, the amount purchased and the amount due to the vendors. Those statements shall be submitted to the director, when requested by him or her, and shall be in the form prescribed by the director. If it appears from a statement or other facts ascertained by the director, upon inspection or investigation of the books and papers of the licensee, as authorized by § 4-8-12, that the security afforded to persons selling milk and cream to that licensee by the bond executed by that licensee as provided does not adequately protect the vendors, the director may require that licensee to give an additional bond, to be executed in a sum determined by the director, but not exceeding by more than fifty percent (50%) the maximum amount paid out by that licensee to sellers of milk in any one month.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-7 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-7
§ 4-13-7. Notice as to time and place of issuing licenses.
Status: in_force

The city or town clerks of the several cities and towns shall annually, in the month of March, give notice by publication at least once in a newspaper of general circulation within the city or town, giving notice to the people of the time and place for issuing the licenses provided for in this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-15-16 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-15 / Section 4-15-16
§ 4-15-16. Use of the terms owner or guardian.
Status: in_force

Wherever the word owner shall appear in this chapter it shall also mean and may be interchanged with the word guardian as defined in § 4-1-1.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-29.3 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-29.3
§ 4-13-29.3. Regulations for suppression of rabies.
Status: in_force

The rabies control board has the authority to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the functions required to prevent, control, or suppress rabies and every person who fails to comply with any regulation made shall be fined not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500), or be imprisoned not exceeding one year.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-5-5 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-5 / Section 4-5-5
§ 4-5-5. Sale of carcasses of condemned animals.
Status: in_force

The director of environmental management is authorized to sell the carcass of any animal killed as tuberculous, when in the opinion of the board of appraisers that sale should be permitted. The proceeds of that sale shall be paid to the owner of the animal killed in accordance with this chapter, after deducting from those proceeds the cost of slaughtering or transporting the animal to a slaughterhouse and other expenses incident to the killing and selling of the animal.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-10-6 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-10 / Section 4-10-6
§ 4-10-6. Defaults by licensed dealers.
Status: in_force

(a) Upon receipt of a written notice of a default in payment, the director of environmental management shall order a hearing to be held before him or her within two (2) weeks. If the claim is approved by the director of environmental management, he or she may order payment to be made directly to the seller of the live poultry by the bonding company. The payment shall be made within two (2) weeks after approval of the claim by the director of environmental management.

(b) All unpaid claims against licensed dealers must be made within three (3) weeks from date of sale of the poultry.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-18-14 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-18 / Section 4-18-14
§ 4-18-14. Penalty for violations.
Status: in_force

Any person who violates any provisions of this chapter shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100), and the loss of any specimen referred to in this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-5 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-5
§ 4-1-5. Malicious injury to or killing of animals.
Status: in_force

(a) Every person who cuts out the tongue or otherwise dismembers any animal maliciously; or maliciously kills or wounds any animal; or maliciously administers poison to or exposes any poisonous substance with intent that the poison shall be taken or swallowed by any animal; or who maliciously exposes poisoned meat with intent that the poison meat is taken or swallowed by any wild animal, shall be imprisoned not exceeding five (5) years or be fined not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), and shall, in the case of any animal of another, be liable to the owner of this animal for triple damages, to be recovered by civil action. In addition, any person convicted under this section is required to serve fifty (50) hours of community restitution. The community restitution penalty shall not be suspended or deferred and is mandatory.

(b) This section shall not apply to licensed hunters during hunting season or a licensed business killing animals for human consumption.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-18-3 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-18 / Section 4-18-3
§ 4-18-3. Permit required to import wild animals.
Status: in_force

(a) No person shall import into, receive, or possess in this state without first obtaining a permit from the department, animals of the following orders, families, and genera: primates, carnivores, amphibia, reptilia, canidae, and insecta. The director may by regulation designate additional orders, families, genera, or species requiring a permit to import, receive or possess; or the director may by regulation waive the permit requirement for specific species, orders, families and genera.

(b) Any animal care facility accredited by the American zoo and aquarium association (AZA) shall be exempt from this provision, provided, however, the facility provides the state veterinarian with a quarterly summary of any and all animal acquisitions and dispositions.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-25-2 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-25 / Section 4-25-2
§ 4-25-2. Information at sale provided by seller.
Status: in_force

(a) Every seller shall, at the time of sale, deliver to the purchaser of each dog a written statement containing the following information:

(1) The date of the animals birth, if known; the breeders name and address, if known; and the date the seller received the animal, if not bred by the seller. If the seller does not know the name and address of the breeder, then the seller must provide the name and address of the person who sold or gave the animal to the seller.

(2) The breed, sex and color of the animal, and identifying marks existing at the time of sale, if any. If the animal is from a United States Department of Agriculture licensed source, the statement shall contain the individual identifying tag, tattoo or collar number for that animal. If the breed is unknown or mixed, the statement must so indicate.

(3) If the animal is being sold as registerable, the names and registration numbers of the sire and dam and the litter number.

(4) A record of any inoculations and worming treatments administered to the animal as of the time of sale including dates of administration and the type of vaccine or worming treatment.

(5) A record of any diagnosis, treatment or medication received by the animal from a licensed veterinarian while in the possession of the seller.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-25-5 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-25 / Section 4-25-5
§ 4-25-5. Purchaser remedies.
Status: in_force

(a) A purchaser is entitled to relief from the seller after the purchase of a dog if one of the following conditions occurs:

(1) Within twenty (20) days after the purchase of the dog, a licensed veterinarian states in writing that the animal is suffering from or has died from an illness, disease or other defect adversely affecting the animals health and that this condition existed in the dog on or before delivery to the purchaser. Intestinal or external parasites shall not be considered to adversely affect an animals health unless their presence makes the animal clinically ill.

(2) Within two (2) years after the purchase of the animal, a licensed veterinarian states in writing that the animal possesses or has died from a congenital or hereditary condition adversely affecting the health of the animal or that requires hospitalization or nonelective surgical procedures.

(b) A purchaser entitled to relief herein may elect only one of the following remedies:

(1) Return the animal to the seller for a full refund of the purchase price and also reimbursement for reasonable veterinarian fees for diagnosis and treatment in an amount not to exceed the original purchase price of the animal.

(2) Exchange the animal for another one which the purchaser may choose having comparable value if a replacement is available and also receive reimbursement for reasonable veterinary fees for diagnosis and treatment in an amount not to exceed the original purchase price of the animal; or

(3) Retain the animal and also receive reimbursement for reasonable veterinary fees for diagnosis and treatment in an amount not to exceed the original purchase price of the animal.

(c) For purposes of this section, veterinary fees shall be deemed reasonable if the services rendered are appropriate for the diagnosis and treatment of the illness or congenital or hereditary condition. The cost of such services shall be comparable to that charged for similar services by other Rhode Island veterinarians. A veterinary fee shall be presumed reasonable in the absence of evidence to the contrary.

(d) Refunds and payment of reimbursable expenses pursuant to this section shall be made by the seller to the purchaser within ten (10) business days following receipt by seller of veterinarians statement as per subsection 4-25-5(a) herein.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-8-13 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-8 / Section 4-8-13
§ 4-8-13. Adjustments and hearings on complaints.
Status: in_force

When a complaint is filed with the director of environmental management, he or she shall attempt to secure an explanation or adjustment, and, failing this within ten (10) days, he or she shall cause a copy of the complaint, together with a notice of the time and place for a hearing, to be served personally or by mail upon the applicant or licensee. If served by mail, the complaint and notice shall be directed to the applicant or licensee at his or her place of business, with postage fully prepaid. Service shall be made at least seven (7) days before the hearing. At the time and place appointed for the hearing, the director, or his or her representatives, shall hear the parties to the complaint, shall have power to administer oaths and shall enter in the records of the department of environmental management a decision either dismissing the complaint or specifying the facts which he or she deems established on the hearing.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-12-13 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-12 / Section 4-12-13
§ 4-12-13. Identification of apiaries  Abandoned apiaries  Written notice  Steps to protect neighboring apiaries.
Status: in_force

(a) Each colony within an apiary shall be identified with the owners name and address. This identification may be affixed to external parts of the colony or placed between the inner and outer covers of each colony.

(b) When a colony or apiary is deemed to be abandoned written notice shall be given, by certified mail, to the owner or operator, if he or she can be located, that the colony or apiary is an abandoned colony or apiary. The abandoned colony or apiary shall be conspicuously marked as abandoned. If the owner cannot be located, this notice shall be served on the owner of the land on which the colony or apiary is located. If this colony or apiary continues to be abandoned for sixty (60) days, the director shall take whatever steps are necessary to protect the welfare of neighboring apiaries, including the removal or destruction of apiaries deemed as abandoned.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-26-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-26 / Section 4-26-4
§ 4-26-4. Advisory council established.
Status: in_force

(a) There is established a livestock care standards advisory council consisting of the state veterinarian, or his or her designee, who shall serve as the chairperson and six (6) public members appointed by the director as follows:

(1) A representative from the Rhode Island farm bureau, or his or her designee, who shall serve as secretary;

(2) A representative from the Rhode Island society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or his or her designee;

(3) A Rhode island based livestock farmer, or his or her designee;

(4) A representative from the University of Rhode Island department of environment and life sciences, or his or her designee;

(5) A representative from a Rhode Island nonprofit animal welfare entity, or his or her designee; and

(6) A representative from a national nonprofit animal welfare entity.

(b) Two (2) of those new members first appointed by the director shall serve initial terms of three (3) years; two (2) of those new members first appointed by the director shall serve an initial term of two (2) years; and two (2) of those new members, appointed by the director shall serve an initial term of one year. Thereafter, all appointed members of the advisory council shall be appointed to serve for terms of three (3) years. The members are eligible to succeed themselves. A vacancy other than by expiration shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment but only for the unexpired portion of the term.

(c) The director may remove any member from the council for neglect of any duty required by law, or for incompetence, or unprofessional or dishonorable conduct.

(d) The members of the council shall receive no compensation for their services but may receive reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses while engaged in the performance of official duties of the council.

(e) The council shall meet at least quarterly and at the call of the chairperson or four (4) members of the council. A majority of seats filled shall constitute a quorum.

(f) The council shall receive staff and administrative support from the department. The director shall furnish the advisory board a suitable location to hold its meeting.

(g) All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, documentation, and otherwise to the council and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable by the council to facilitate the purposes of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-12-16 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-12 / Section 4-12-16
§ 4-12-16. Beekeeping advisory board.
Status: in_force

(a) A beekeeping advisory board shall be established.

(b) The board shall consist of six (6) members appointed for terms as indicated:

(1) The president of the Rhode Island beekeeping association (1 year).

(2) Two (2) members from the Rhode Island beekeeping association appointed by that organizations president (3 years).

(3) One member of the Rhode Island fruit growers association appointed by that organizations president (3 years).

(4) One member from the Rhode Island agriculture council appointed by that organizations president (1 year).

(5) One at large member who is knowledgeable in beekeeping appointed by the director of the department of environmental management (1 year).

(c) The president of the Rhode Island agricultural council shall serve as ex-officio member.

(d) The initial terms of those members appointed for three (3) years shall be staggered so as to ensure that no more than one third ( ) of these members will be appointed during a given year. Members shall serve without compensation.

(e) The advisory board shall serve in an advisory capacity to the director of environmental management in all aspects of beekeeping as it relates to the control and elimination of honey bee diseases and pests, inspection of apiaries and establishment of internal and external quarantines as outlined in this chapter.

(f) The board will advise the director on policies, procedures, and regulations designed to strengthen the beekeeping industry within the state so as to make the state self sufficient in the area of pollination required to support the states agricultural industry.

(g) The advisory board shall meet with the director of the department of environmental management quarterly and at any other times as requested by the director.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-17-5 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-17 / Section 4-17-5
§ 4-17-5. Administration  Rules and regulations  Manual use of hammer, sledge, or poleax declared inhumane.
Status: in_force

The director shall administer the provisions of this chapter. He or she shall promulgate and may from time to time revise rules and regulations which conform substantially to the rules and regulations promulgated by the secretary of agriculture of the United States pursuant to the Federal Humane Slaughter Act of 1958, 7 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq. The use of a manually operated hammer, sledge or poleax is declared to be an inhumane method of slaughter within the meaning of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-20-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-20 / Section 4-20-8
§ 4-20-8. Participation.
Status: in_force

No person shall participate in any rodeo activity who has been convicted of cruelty to animals while participating in any rodeo.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-14-8 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-14 / Section 4-14-8
§ 4-14-8. Impoundment fees.
Status: in_force

The poundkeeper shall be allowed as his or her fee for impounding, for each neat-beast or horse, twenty-five cents (25Â¢); for each hog or sheep, five cents (5Â¢); and for each notification set up, or notice given to the owner, twenty-five cents (25Â¢); and ten cents (10Â¢) per mile for travel in giving personal notice, to be computed from the pound to the place of service.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-16 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-16
§ 4-1-16. Use of birds as targets.
Status: in_force

Any person who keeps or uses any live pigeon, fowl, or other bird for the purpose of a target or to be shot at, either for amusement or as a test of skill in marksmanship, and any person who shoots at any bird or is a party to any shooting of any fowl or bird and any person who rents any building, shed, room, yard, field, or premises, or knowingly suffers or permits the use of any building, shed, room, yard, field, or premises, for the purpose of shooting any fowl or bird, shall be fined not exceeding twenty dollars ($20.00) or be imprisoned not exceeding ten (10) days, or both. Nothing in this section applies to the shooting of any wild game in its wild state.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-12-11 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-12 / Section 4-12-11
§ 4-12-11. Revocation of movement permit.
Status: in_force

Any permit for the movement of bees or used beekeeping equipment into the state, or any health certificate, issued by the director or authorized personnel, may be revoked for cause by the director or authorized personnel. Notice of this revocation shall be in writing and shall be mailed, by certified mail, to the last known address of the holder of the permit or certificate.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-22-6 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-22 / Section 4-22-6
§ 4-22-6. Enforcement.
Status: in_force

An impounded at-large, roaming, or feral cat not wearing any identification may not be released to the owner of the cat until the owner complies with the identification requirements of this article.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-3.1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-3.1
§ 4-1-3.1. Prohibited practices in destruction of animals.
Status: in_force

It is unlawful for any veterinarian or owner, as defined in § 4-1-1, or any agent of a veterinarian or owner, or any other person to destroy any animal by the use of a high altitude decompression chamber. When carbon monoxide is used as a euthanizing agent, only one animal is placed in the chamber. Violation of this section is punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars ($500).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-4
§ 4-19-4. Registration of animal shelters, rescues, and brokers.
Status: in_force

No person shall operate an animal shelter, rescue, or as a broker unless a certificate of registration for that animal shelter, rescue, or broker has been granted by the director. Application for that certificate shall be made in the manner provided by the director. No fee is required for the application or certificate. Certificates of registration are valid for a period of one year, or until revoked, and may be renewed annually on the first day of January for like periods upon application in the manner provided.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-15 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-15
§ 4-13-15. Collaring of dogs  Impoundment and disposition of uncollared dogs.
Status: in_force

(a) Every owner or keeper of a dog shall cause the dog to wear a collar around its neck distinctly marked with its owners or keepers name and with its registered number. Any person may cause any dog not so collared to be impounded in the public pound of the town or city where the dog is found; and if the dog is not claimed by its owner or keeper within a period of five (5) days after the impoundment, the dog may be disposed of or destroyed. The five (5) days shall not include any day or part of a day that the public pound is not open for a specified period of time, not to be less than one-half (Â½) the normal hours of business, for the purpose of reclaiming any impounded dog by its rightful owner. All periods of time shall be listed in a prominent location at the entrance to all public pounds. The owner or keeper of any dog so impounded shall not take the dog out of the pound until he or she has first paid to the poundkeeper the expense of keeping the dog, that expense not to exceed two dollars ($2.00) per day and to be determined by the city or town council in which impoundment occurs. The town council of the town of Glocester may, by ordinance, determine an expense not to exceed ten dollars ($10.00) for each of the first five (5) days during which this impoundment occurs plus five dollars ($5.00) every day the animal is detained, plus an additional ten dollars ($10.00) if the owner or keeper is unable to show that the dog has a current rabies shot pursuant to §4-13-31, and further, the dog shall not be released from the pound until all the provisions of this chapter and the ordinances of the city or town are complied with. The provisions of this section relating to the five-day (5) waiting period shall not be deemed to apply to any dog which, when impounded, was injured or maimed, and after the dog has been examined by a licensed veterinarian who shall confirm, in writing, that the dog be destroyed for humanitarian purposes.

The town of West Warwick may provide by ordinance an impounding fee of five dollars ($5.00) per day and may provide by ordinance for a fee for the purposes of transferring ownership or for the disposition of said animals according to law for each adult dog (six (6) months or older) the sum of twenty dollars ($20.00) and for each puppy the sum of five dollars ($5.00) and for each adult cat (six (6) months or older) the sum of ten dollars ($10.00).

(b) Any person violating the provisions of this section is subject to the penalty provisions of §4-1-2.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the town council of the town of Exeter may impose an initial impoundment fee of up to fifteen dollars ($15.00) plus two dollars ($2.00) per day for each day of impoundment.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the city council of the city of East Providence is authorized to enact an ordinance imposing an initial impoundment fee of up to twenty dollars ($20.00) plus five dollars ($5.00) per day for each day of impoundment.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the town council of the town of Richmond is authorized to enact an ordinance providing for an impoundment fee of not more than twenty dollars ($20.00) per day for any impounded animal, and requiring payment of the fee before an impounded animal may be released to its owner.

(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the Foster town council is authorized to enact an ordinance providing for an impoundment fee of not more than fifteen dollars ($15.00) per day for any impounded animal, and requiring payment of the fee before an impounded animal may be released to its owner.

(g) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the Hopkinton town council is authorized to enact an ordinance providing for an impoundment fee of not more than twenty dollars ($20.00) per day for any impounded animal, and requiring payment of the fee before an impounded animal may be released to its owner.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-35 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-35
§ 4-13-35. Immunity of officers from costs.
Status: in_force

No officer making complaint under this chapter shall be required to give surety for costs, or be liable for the costs that may arise upon any complaint brought under this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-16-4 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-16 / Section 4-16-4
§ 4-16-4. Reclaimer of estrays by owner.
Status: in_force

Any person claiming an estrayed animal may, at any time within thirty (30) days, claim the animal by paying the just and reasonable charges of keeping and notifying provided in § 4-16-3 over and above the actual benefit derived from the use of the animal.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-37 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-37
§ 4-13-37. Agent of Robert Potter league for animals in town of Middletown as special constable.
Status: in_force

The town council of the town of Middletown may appoint an agent of the Robert Potter league for animals as special constable or officer to enforce this chapter, and when appointed, that agent shall have all the authority and power and be subject to all the duties and liabilities imposed upon special officers by this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-2-7 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-2 / Section 4-2-7
§ 4-2-7. Adulteration.
Status: in_force

A commercial feed is deemed to be adulterated:

(1) If it bears or contains any poisonous or deleterious substance which may render it injurious to health; but in case the substance is not an added substance, the commercial feed shall not be considered adulterated under this subsection if the quantity of that substance in the commercial feed does not ordinarily render it injurious to health.

(2) If it bears or contains any added poisonous, added deleterious, or added nonnutritive substance which is unsafe within the meaning of § 406 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 346), other than one which is:

(i) A pesticide chemical in or on a raw agricultural commodity; or

(ii) A food additive.

(3) If it is, or it bears or contains any food additive which is unsafe within the meaning of § 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 348).

(4) If it is a raw agricultural commodity and it bears or contains a pesticide chemical which is unsafe within the meaning of § 408(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 346a(a)). Where a pesticide chemical has been used in or on a raw agricultural commodity in conformity with an exemption granted or a tolerance prescribed under § 408 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 346a) and that raw agricultural commodity has been subject to processing such as canning, cooking, freezing, dehydrating, or milling, the residue of that pesticide chemical remaining in or on that processed feed is not deemed unsafe if that residue in or on the raw agricultural commodity has been removed to the extent possible in good manufacturing practice and the concentration of that residue in the processed feed is not greater than the tolerance prescribed for the raw agricultural commodity unless the feeding of that processed feed will result or is likely to result in a pesticide residue in the edible product of the animal, which is unsafe within the meaning of § 408(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 346a(a)).

(5) If it is, or it bears or contains any color additive which is unsafe within the meaning of § 706 of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 376).

(6) If any valuable constituent has been in whole or in part omitted or abstracted from the feed or any less valuable substance substituted.

(7) If its composition or quality falls below or differs from that which it is purported or is represented to possess by its labeling.

(8) If it contains a drug and the methods used in or the facilities or controls used for its manufacture, processing, or packaging do not conform to current good manufacturing practice regulations promulgated by the director to assure that the drug meets the requirement of this chapter as to safety and has the identity and strength and meets the quality and purity characteristics which it purports or is represented to possess. In promulgating those regulations, the director shall adopt the current good manufacturing practice regulations for medicated feed premixes and for medicated feeds established under authority of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.), unless he or she determines that they are not appropriate to the conditions which exist in this state.

(9) If it contains viable weed seeds in amounts exceeding the limits which the director shall establish by rule or regulation.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-7-15 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-7 / Section 4-7-15
§ 4-7-15. Display of license.
Status: in_force

Any person operating a vehicle used in the business of buying, selling, and/or transporting live livestock shall deposit or display in the vehicle in some easily accessible place a license to engage in that business as provided by § 4-7-8.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-8-18 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-8 / Section 4-8-18
§ 4-8-18. Employment of help by director  Expenses.
Status: in_force

The director of environmental management may employ any help and incur any expense necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter within the amount appropriated.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-14-14 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-14 / Section 4-14-14
§ 4-14-14. Disposition of replevied animals returned to defendant.
Status: in_force

Whenever the beasts are returned to the defendant pursuant to a judgment under § 4-14-13, they shall be held and disposed of in like manner as if they had not been replevied.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-1
§ 4-19-1. Purpose.
Status: in_force

The purpose of this chapter is:

(1) To protect the owners of dogs and cats from the sale or use of stolen pets;

(2) To ensure that all warm-blooded, vertebrate animals, in the care of facilities licensed or registered under this chapter, are provided humane care and treatment by regulating the transportation, sale, purchase, housing, care, handling, and treatment of these animals by persons or organizations engaged in transporting, selling, handling, housing, and care of these animals;

(3) To ensure that animals confined in pet shops, kennels, animal shelters, auction markets, breeding facilities, training facilities with the exception of training facilities maintained by government agencies and training facilities operated by volunteers working for a not-for-profit or exempt nonprofit organization pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and pounds are provided humane care and treatment;

(4) To release for sale, trade, or adoption only those animals that appear to be free of infection, communicable disease, or abnormalities, unless veterinary care subsequent to release is assured;

(5) To ensure the spaying and neutering of dogs and cats that are adopted from a releasing agency;

(6) To increase transparency concerning where pet shops source dogs and cats; and

(7) To ensure pet shops can also source puppies and kittens from rescues and shelters to help provide homes for puppies and kittens in need.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-18-11 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-18 / Section 4-18-11
§ 4-18-11. Quarantine.
Status: in_force

(a) Quarantine period and conditions for release. All imported animals must be maintained for any period of quarantine required by the department and under any conditions as prescribed in this section:

(1) Primates. The normal quarantine period required for primates is that which provides for a physical examination, administration of a tuberculin test by a veterinarian upon entry, and a repeat physical examination and tuberculin test thirty (30) days later. Primates may be released from quarantine by the department upon completion of the second tuberculin test provided that in the judgment of the attending veterinarian:

(i) Both tuberculin tests are negative.

(ii) The animals exhibit no visible oral ulcers at the end of quarantine period.

(iii) The animals show no clinical evidence of dysentery or diarrhea, emesis, emaciation, contagious skin lesions, central nervous system disturbances, jaundice, or abnormal respiratory signs at the end of quarantine period.

(iv) There is no evidence of a zoonotic disease traced back to the quarantined animals.

(v) In the opinion of the attending veterinarian the animals are healthy. A summary report by the attending veterinarian, in writing over his or her signature, shall be made to the department incorporating (1) the results of all tests, physical examinations, etc., performed and (2) his or her opinion that the animals are healthy.

(2) Carnivores. Carnivores shall be confined in a place and manner approved by the department for a ninety (90) day period. A primary enclosure as defined under § 4-18-2 or an equivalent approved by the department is acceptable for confinement. If at the end of quarantine, the animals are examined and found healthy by a veterinarian, they may be released by the department upon receipt of this certification in writing by the attending veterinarian without further restriction.

(b) Animals refused release. Imported animals refused release from quarantine shall be handled in any manner as approved and specified by the department.

(c) Variations from quarantine procedures. Where the quarantine procedures specified are not compatible with the objective of a specific research project, the department may authorize variations from the requirements specified, provided that no public health hazard results from the variations allowed.

(d) Sales to institutions, zoos, etc. Any person importing animals for purposes of sale to any educational and research institution, zoological garden, laboratory, college, or university may satisfy the requirements of this chapter by contract with that institution. The quarantine shall meet all of the requirements with regard to period, observation, reporting and other conditions of quarantine.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-1.2 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-13 / Section 4-13-1.2
§ 4-13-1.2. Definitions.
Status: in_force

(1) Adequate shelter means the provision of and access to shelter that is suitable for the species, age, condition, size, and type of each dog; provides sufficient space for the dog to maintain comfortable rest, normal posture, and range of movement; and is safe to protect each dog from injury, rain, sleet, snow, hail, direct sunlight, the adverse effects of heat or cold, physical suffering, and impairment of health. Shelters with wire grid or slat floors that permit the dogs feet to pass through the openings, sag under the dogs weight, or otherwise do not protect the dogs feet from injury, are not considered adequate shelter.

(2) Board means the rabies control board.

(3) Department means the department of environmental management or its successor.

(4) Director means the director of the department of environmental management (or its successor), or his or her designee.

(5) Division means the division of agriculture.

(6) Guardian means a person(s) having the same rights and responsibilities as an owner or keeper, and the terms may be used interchangeably. A guardian shall also mean a person who possesses, has title to or an interest in, harbors or has control, custody, or possession of an animal and who is responsible for an animals safety and well-being.

(7) Livestock means domesticated animals that are commonly held in moderate contact with humans which include, but are not limited to, cattle, bison, equines, sheep, goats, llamas, and swine.

(8) Owner or keeper means any person or agency keeping, harboring, or having charge or control of or responsibility for control of an animal or any person or agency that permits any dog, cat, ferret, or domestic animal to habitually be fed within that persons yard or premises. This term shall not apply to veterinary facilities, any licensed boarding kennel, municipal pound, pet shop, or animal shelter.

(9) Person means an individual, firm, joint stock company, partnership, association, private or municipal corporation, trust, estate, state, commission, political subdivision, any interstate body, the federal government or any agency or subdivision of the federal government, other government entity, or other legal entity.

(10) Pets means domesticated animals kept in close contact with humans, which include, but may not be limited to, dogs, cats, ferrets, equines, llamas, goats, sheep, and swine.

(11) Quarantine means the removal, isolation, the close confinement, or related measures of an animal under conditions and for time periods that are set by regulation of the board.

(12) Tether means the practice of fastening a dog to a stationary object or stake by a chain, rope, or other tethering device as a means of keeping the dog under control. A dog being walked on a leash is not tethered.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-7-6 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-7 / Section 4-7-6
§ 4-7-6. Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in §§ 4-7-6  4-7-23:

(1) Director means the director of the department of environmental management.

(2) Farmers co-operative means a nonprofit association of producers organized with or without capital stock for the purpose of producing and/or selling food commodities.

(3) License means the certificate issued by the director to any person, firm, partnership, or corporation regularly engaged in the business of buying, selling and/or transporting livestock to be sold or used for food.

(4) Livestock means any bovine, equine, caprine, ovine, camelids, swine or other animal sold for any purpose.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-8-19 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-8 / Section 4-8-19
§ 4-8-19. Other laws preserved  Producers exempt.
Status: in_force

Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to repeal or alter or vary the provisions of chapter 5 of title 21, or to require the license provided for from any person whose principal business is the production of milk, or to require a license from a producer of milk who may deliver milk direct to any store or place, or who retails his or her product direct to the consumer.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-20-7 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-20 / Section 4-20-7
§ 4-20-7. Limitations.
Status: in_force

The roping of any calf in any rodeo is limited to breakaway calf roping, where the calf is released immediately after it is roped without the animal being subjected to a sudden stop or fall.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-4.1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-19 / Section 4-19-4.1
§ 4-19-4.1. Sales by pet shops.
Status: in_force

(a) A pet shop shall send the following records to the department of environmental management on or before May 1 and November 1 of every year, documenting the following for each dog or cat offered for sale during the previous six (6) months:

(1) A health certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian that indicates that the dog or cat was examined and in good health seven (7) days after the dog or cat was acquired by the pet shop;

(2) Original source information including:

(i) The name, business name, if applicable, street address, city, and state of the breeder;

(ii) Any applicable federal and state license number for the breeder;

(iii) Any federal and state inspection reports the breeder received in the previous six (6) months, without redactions, unless the reports are unavailable because the breeder had not been inspected by federal or state agencies in the previous six (6) months;

(iv) The total number of dogs and cats on the premises of the breeder at the time the dog or cat offered for sale by the pet shop left the breeders premises;

(3) Broker or dealer information, if applicable, including:

(i) The name, business name, if applicable, street address, city, and state of the broker or dealer who obtained the dog or cat from the breeder and resold the dog or cat to the pet shop;

(ii) Any applicable federal and state license number for the broker or dealer who sold the dog or cat to the pet shop;

(iii) Any federal and state inspection reports the broker or dealer received in the previous six (6) months, without redactions, unless such reports are unavailable because the broker or dealer has not been inspected by federal or state agencies in the previous six (6) months.

(b) A pet shop shall post on the enclosure of each dog and cat offered for sale:

(1) The breed, age, and date of birth of the dog or cat;

(2) The information required under subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall not apply to any dog or cat obtained from an animal rescue, shelter, or dog pound.

(1) For those dogs or cats obtained from an animal rescue, shelter, or dog pound, a pet shop must post on each enclosure the name and address of the animal rescue, animal shelter, or dog pound, and the organizations federal tax identification number, if applicable.

(d) A pet shop owner or operator who violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for a first offense, by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300) for a second offense, and a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) for a third or subsequent offense. Each failure to report or post in violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-24-1 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-24 / Section 4-24-1
§ 4-24-1. Short title.
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Rhode Island Permit Program for Cats.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-1-40 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-1 / Section 4-1-40
§ 4-1-40. Possession of animals.
Status: in_force

(a) In addition to any other penalty imposed by law, a person convicted of, or who entered a plea of nolo contendere to, any misdemeanor violation under the provisions of this chapter shall not possess or reside with any animal for a period of up to five (5) years following entry of the conviction or upon acceptance of a plea of nolo contendere by the court. Any offense under this subsection is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), by imprisonment for a term not more than one year, or both, and forfeiture of the animal(s).

(b) In addition to any other penalty imposed by law, a person convicted of, or who entered a plea of nolo contendere to, any felony violation under the provisions of this chapter shall not possess or reside with any animal for a period of up to fifteen (15) years following entry of the conviction or upon acceptance of a plea of nolo contendere by the court. Any offense under this subsection is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), by imprisonment for a term not more than one year, or both, and forfeiture of the animal(s).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-3-9 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-3 / Section 4-3-9
§ 4-3-9. Maintenance and examination of records.
Status: in_force

Any authorized representative of the director may examine any records or memoranda pertaining to the feeding of garbage to swine. The director may require maintenance of records relating to the operation of equipment for and procedure of treating garbage to be fed to swine. Copies of those records shall be submitted to the director on request.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-12-9 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-12 / Section 4-12-9
§ 4-12-9. Quarantine areas outside state  Seizure  Inspection  Eradication.
Status: in_force

Whenever the director finds that there exists in any other state, territory, or district or part of any state, territory, or district, any harmful pests or diseases of honey bees, the director shall promulgate, and enforce by appropriate regulations, a quarantine prohibiting the importation of or the transportation into or through Rhode Island or any portion of Rhode Island, from any other state, territory or district, any honey bees, used beekeeping equipment, or any other article or product capable of carrying these pests or diseases. The director shall make rules for the seizure, inspection, disinfection, eradication, destruction, or other disposition of any honey bees, used beekeeping equipment or any other regulated article or product capable of carrying these pests or diseases in violation of this quarantine.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-24-13 — RI Code / Title 4 / Chapter 4-24 / Section 4-24-13
§ 4-24-13. Low-cost spay/neuter accounts.
Status: reserved

(a) All revenue generated pursuant to §§4-24-9 and 4-24-10 shall be deposited in the respective city and towns spay/neuter accounts. Said funds shall be divided equally with fifty percent (50%) of which to be reserved for the exclusive use of funding a low-cost spay/neuter program for the animals of persons who qualify for one of the following public assistance programs or any other public assistance program as determined by the city or towns animal control officer:

(1) Any program which qualifies as public assistance pursuant to chapter 6 of title 40;

(2) The food stamp program authorized by Title XIII of the federal Food and Agriculture Act of 1977, 7 U.S.C. §2011 et seq.;

(3) The supplemental security income program authorized by Title XVI of the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §1381 et seq.;

(4) The federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Act authorized by 42 U.S.C. §601 et seq.; or

(5) The Medicaid program authorized by Title IX of the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §1381.

Persons who are eligible for any of the aforementioned programs must provide proof that he or she is an eligible person to the animal control officer of that city or town to qualify for the low-cost spay/neuter provisions of this section.

(b) All remaining funds shall be deposited in the respective city or towns spay/neuter account to fund the spaying and neutering of animals currently residing in the city or towns pound and to fund low-cost spay/neuter programs.