TITLE: Relating to notice of an animal's possible exposure in an animal shelter to certain communicable or infectious diseases.

SUMMARY: Relating to notice of an animal's possible exposure in an animal shelter to certain communicable or infectious diseases.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to notice of an animal's possible exposure in an animal shelter to certain communicable or infectious diseases. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 823, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Section 823.004 to read as follows: Sec. 823.004. NOTICE OF CERTAIN COMMUNICABLE OR INFECTIOUS DISEASES. (a) The department, in consultation with the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, shall develop and the department and board shall each post on the agency's Internet website a model electronic or written notice regarding an animal's possible exposure to a communicable or infectious disease while the animal is in an animal shelter. At a minimum the notice must: (1) warn a person who adopts an animal from a shelter about the animal's possible exposure to common communicable or infectious diseases, the incubation period for those diseases, and the need to monitor the animal for two weeks; and (2) encourage the person to have a veterinarian examine the adopted animal after adoption. (b) An animal shelter may provide the notice developed under Subsection (a) to a person at the time the person adopts an animal from the shelter. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.