Title 20 — Public Health and Welfare

(a) The General Assembly finds and declares that humane societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals organized under the laws of this state now or hereinafter in effect are public organizations necessary to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizenry of…

(a) (1) As used in this section, “domesticated animals” includes without limitation sheep, goats, cattle, swine, poultry, and other livestock.(2) A person owning or having in possession or under control a dog is liable for damages to the owner or owners of a domesticated animal k…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any pound, shelter, humane organization, or animal rescue group to release any dog or cat which has not been sterilized to a new owner except as provided in subsection (b) of this section. (b) (1) In any county in the state, it shall be unlawful for a…

(a) The Department of Health shall establish a voluntary certification program for animal control officers, animal shelters, and other humane society counterparts. (b) The certification shall be based upon courses recommended by the National Animal Care and Control Association or…

This subchapter shall be known as the “Rabies Control Act”.

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Animal” means any animal other than dogs or cats that may be affected by rabies;(2) “Cats” means any domestic feline animal, species Felis catus;(3) “Dogs” means any domestic canine animal, species Canis lupus familiaris;(4) “Has been bitten” m…

(a) This subchapter does not limit in any manner the power of any municipality or political subdivision to prohibit dogs, cats, or other animals from running at large whether or not they have been vaccinated against rabies as provided in this subchapter. (b) This subchapter does …

(a) (1) A person shall be guilty of a violation for:(A) Violating or aiding in or abetting the violation of any provision of this subchapter;(B) Making a misrepresentation in regard to any matter prescribed by this subchapter;(C) Resisting, obstructing, or impeding any authorized…

All dogs, cats, and other animals shall be vaccinated against rabies as required by the State Board of Health.

(a) It is unlawful for any person bitten, the family, treating physician, or veterinarian that has knowledge of a person bitten by a dog, cat, or other animal to refuse to notify the health authorities promptly. (b) It is unlawful for the owner of the dog, cat, or other animal to…

(a) (1) (A) Whenever the health authorities, county sheriff's office, or municipal police officers in cooperation with health authorities receive information that any person has been bitten by a dog, cat, or other animal that has not received a current vaccination against rabies …

Any person causing the death of an animal, either wild or domesticated, suspected of being rabid shall cause the head of the animal to be presented to a county health unit of the county in which the animal was killed.

(a) (1) The Secretary of the Department of Health shall place certain areas under a rabies quarantine upon request of proper local officials.(2) In serious situations, the secretary may place the area under quarantine without waiting for a local request. (1) The Secretary of the …

(1) Whenever the proper officials or a government unit are convinced that the situation is conducive to the spread of rabies, additional measures may be imposed by the government unit if deemed necessary to prevent the spread of rabies among dogs and other animals. The government…

The Secretary of the Department of Health or his or her official representative shall have the responsibility for carrying out the provisions of this subchapter.

(a) The State Board of Health shall adopt rules necessary to carry out this subchapter, with subsequent amendments as needed. (b) The Arkansas Board of Animal Health may adopt rules as are necessary pertaining to dogs and cats transported or moved into Arkansas for any purpose.

(1) The General Assembly finds that:(1) Wolves and wolf-dog hybrids are now present in this state but remain unregulated;(2) The Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control advises that no vaccination has been approved for use in wolves or wolf-dog hybrids;(3) However, wol…

As used in this subchapter, “wolf-dog hybrid” means any animal which is publicly acknowledged by its owner as being the offspring of a wolf and domestic dog. No animal may be judged to be a wolf or wolf-dog hybrid based strictly on its appearance.

(a) Owners of wolves and wolf-dog hybrids shall maintain all health records of each wolf and wolf-dog hybrid, including health certificates, records of immunization, and any other documentary evidence pertaining to the health and welfare of the animal. (b) The owner shall maintai…

(a) Wolves and wolf-dog hybrids shall be provided adequate confinement and adequate feeding. (b) Adequate confinement shall include at least:(1) A brick, concrete, or chain-link enclosure surrounded by two (2) layers of fencing as follows:(A) For a single animal:(i) Either an inn…

(a) Wolves and wolf-dog hybrids may enter into this state only if each animal is accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection indicating that the animal is free from disease or exposure to infectious or contagious disease. (b) No animals from rabies-quarantined areas sha…

(a) Wolves and wolf-dog hybrids are required to be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian with a vaccine approved for dog use, and a rabies certificate may be issued. (b) Veterinarians shall inform the owner of the wolf or wolf-dog hybrid, preferably in writing, tha…

(a) If a wolf or wolf-dog hybrid bites a person or injures or destroys another animal while out of its confined area, the person responsible for the adequate confinement of the animal upon conviction shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. (b) If a wolf or wolf-dog hybrid is no…

Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to prohibit local regulation of the ownership, breeding, confinement, or feeding of wolves or wolf-dog hybrids.

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Large carnivore” means any live individual of those species of animals that are inherently dangerous to humans, including:(A) Bears;(B) Lions; and(C) Tigers;(2) “Possessor” means a person who owns, keeps, or has custody or control of a large ca…

(a) Except as permitted under this subchapter, it is unlawful for a person to:(1) Own or possess a large carnivore;(2) Breed a large carnivore; or(3) Transfer ownership or possession of or receive a transfer of ownership or possession of a large carnivore, with or without remuner…

(1) This subchapter does not apply to:(1) Institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums;(2) Registered nonprofit humane societies;(3) Animal control officers or law enforcement officers acting under the authority of this subchapter;(4) Veterinary hospitals or c…

(a) A person may possess a large carnivore only if:(1) The person was in possession of the large carnivore and was the legal possessor of the large carnivore on or before August 12, 2005; and(2) The person applies for and is granted a permit for personal possession for each large…

(a) (1) The possessor of a large carnivore is required to maintain the large carnivore in a cage that meets the requirements recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture or the Association of Zoos and Aquariums as in existence on January 1, 2005, for each species of…

(a) (1) A possessor of a large carnivore shall maintain liability insurance coverage of not less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for each occurrence for liability damages for destruction of or damage to property and for death or bodily injury to a person caused by th…

The possessor of a large carnivore shall allow an official of the county sheriff's department, an animal control officer, an Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission game warden, or a law enforcement officer of the municipality or county where the large carnivore is kept to enter …

(a) The possessor of a large carnivore shall not bring a large carnivore to any commercial or retail establishment unless the possessor is bringing the large carnivore to a veterinarian clinic. (b) (1) If a large carnivore escapes or is released, the possessor of the large carniv…

(a) A large carnivore may be immediately confiscated by a county sheriff's department if:(1) The possessor does not have a permit for personal possession;(2) The possessor does not have the liability insurance coverage required under this subchapter;(3) Conditions under which the…

A person who is in violation of the prohibitions of § 20-19-502 is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(a) The county sheriff's department of each county may collect the fees for the permits for personal possession required under this subchapter. (b) The Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission may adopt rules and regulations to implement and enforce this subchapter.

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Interested person” means an individual, partnership, firm, joint stock company, corporation, association, trust, estate, or other legal entity that a court determines may have a pecuniary interest in a primate that is the subject of the petitio…

(a) A person shall not import, possess, sell, or breed the following primates:(1) An ape;(2) A baboon; or(3) A macaque. (1) An ape; (2) A baboon; or (3) A macaque. (b) (1) (A) It is unlawful for a person to allow a member of the public to come into direct contact with a primate.(…

(a) Section 20-19-602(a), (c), and (d) and § 20-19-605 do not apply to:(1) Either:(A) An institution accredited by a zoological accreditation agency, including without limitation the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, or the Zoological Association of America; or(B) A certified re…

(1) A person eighteen (18) years of age or older may continue to lawfully possess a primate, including an ape, macaque, or baboon, if within one hundred eighty (180) days after August 16, 2013, the primate, including an ape, macaque, or baboon, is registered under § 20-19-605 and…

(a) (1) (A) Within one hundred eighty (180) days after August 16, 2013, a person that currently owns or possesses a primate shall submit to the county sheriff of the county in which the person keeps a primate a registration form provided by the sheriff's office.(B) A person that …

(a) A person possessing a primate shall maintain the primate in an enclosure that meets or exceeds the minimum standards set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture under the Animal Welfare Act, 7 U.S.C. § 2131 et seq., as it existed on January 1, 2013, for each spec…

(a) Upon probable cause, a law enforcement officer may seize a primate possessed or kept in violation of this subchapter. (b) A primate seized under this section is forfeited upon a judicial determination that:(1) The seized animal is a primate; and(2) The owner of the seized pri…

A violation of this subchapter is a Class A misdemeanor.

This subchapter does not preempt the authority of a city, town, or county.

(a) The Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission may adopt rules to implement this subchapter. (b) A rule adopted under this subchapter shall not add to the list of exempt entities or species of primates or impose additional fees or insurance requirements.