Title 4, Title 4 and Animal Husbandry

Horses, neat-cattle, sheep, and hogs are deemed to be at large within the meaning of this chapter within the limits of any private way in the city of Newport, without the consent of the owners of the fee in that private way, and that private way, for the purpose of authorizing th…

The keeper of any pound in which any animal is impounded shall receive, keep, and feed the animal in that pound and he or she shall and may milk any impounded cow for his or her own use.

(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 i…

The poundkeeper shall pay one half (½) of every sum received by him or her as a penalty, in pursuance of § 4-15-7, to the city or town treasurer of the city or town in which the pound is situated, and one half (½) to the person who impounded the animal.

After any animal has been impounded for forty-eight (48) hours, the poundkeeper shall immediately post up notifications in at least three (3) public places in the city or town with that pound, one of which shall be at or near the office of the city or town clerk of that city or t…

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 anima…

The provisions of this chapter shall not extend to any city or town where other provisions on this subject are made by law.

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.

The city or town clerk shall give three (3) notices, attested under his or her hand, setting forth the natural and artificial marks of the animal, one of which notices he or she shall cause to be set up in a public place in the city or town and the other two (2) notices in public…

Every estrayed animal taken up shall be kept by the person who took it up thirty (30) days. If it is a horse, the person shall have a withe kept about the horse’s neck the whole of that time.

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.

In case any difference arises between the parties about the charge of keeping an estrayed animal, the dispute may be referred to the district court having jurisdiction in the city or town, which shall hear and determine the dispute and tax costs as in other cases.

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 th…

Any person taking up any estrayed animal and not proceeding as required by this chapter shall forfeit twenty-five dollars ($25.00), one half (½) to the use of the city or town where the offense has been committed and one half (½) to the use of him or her who shall sue for it.

The person who shall take up any estrayed animal may lawfully use the animal during the time it may be in his or her possession, after he or she has given notice thereof to the city or town clerk as required in § 4-16-1.

Every city or town clerk shall keep a fair record of all his or her proceedings under this chapter, and shall pay all moneys by him or her received for any estrays and for which no owner appears, into the city or town treasury immediately on receipt. The city or town clerk shall …

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 …

As used in chapter: (1) “Director” means the director of environmental management. (2) “Humane method” means either: (i) A method through which the animal is rendered insensible to pain by mechanical, electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective before being sh…

No slaughterer, packer, or stockyard operator shall shackle, hoist, or otherwise bring livestock into position for slaughter by any method which causes injury or pain.

No slaughterer, packer, or stockyard operator shall bleed or slaughter any livestock except by a humane method.

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 th…

Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred ($500) dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than one year.

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…

This chapter is intended to provide safeguards for the protection of persons in the state from disease hazards associated with imported wild animals. This chapter applies to all persons, including, but not limited to, the following: educational and research institutions, zoologic…

Quarantine facilities used to house imported animals are subject to inspection and approval by representatives of the department for any periods of time that the department deems indicated. Those facilities may be used for housing imported animals only as long as they are maintai…

(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…

The method of tuberculin testing used is subject to approval by the department. Normal variations in site of administration and type and dilution of tuberculin used for intradermal injection may be accepted by the department. The use of such testing methods as the patch and multi…

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 th…

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.

The director of environmental management or his or her designee shall enforce the provisions of this chapter.

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 R…

(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…

Import permits for animals listed under § 4-18-3 shall be issued only upon written application from the person desiring to import them. The application shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) The number and true scientific name of each species (Reference: Walker,…

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 in…

(a) Short term nonresident exhibitions. Animals subject to this chapter may be brought into the state for short term nonresident exhibition purposes without permit. Animal(s) permitted entry under this section shall not be disposed of by sale, trade or gift during the period with…

(a) Each application for an import permit shall be accompanied by payment of an import permit fee to the department. Except as provided in § 4-18-6 (a) and (b), the permit fee charged shall be at the rate of five dollars ($5.00) per animal. (b) If the actual number of animals rec…

The director may make reasonable rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this chapter concerning the following: (1) Quarantine facilities and operating standards; (2) Primary enclosures; (3) Animal health and husbandry standards; (4) Quarantine records; (5) Quarantin…

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 …

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.

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,…

All licensed releasing agencies are required to notify the department of environmental management monthly of the number of animals destroyed while those animals are in their care and custody.

Any person, firm, or corporation who or that violates any provision of this chapter, unless the penalty is otherwise stated in a specific subsection, is subject upon conviction, plea of guilty, or plea of nolo contendere to a fine of five hundred dollars ($500) for the first offe…

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general or public laws to the contrary, it shall be unlawful to dispose of any animal by using a carbon monoxide chamber or gas chamber. All animals that must be disposed of by a municipal pound or shelter, the humane society, an animal sh…

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.

The director may, as he or she deems indicated and appropriate, promulgate rules and regulations consistent with the objectives and intent of this chapter for the purpose of carrying out those objectives and intent. Those rules and regulations may include, but are not limited to,…

This chapter does not apply to a place or establishment which is operated under the immediate supervision of a duly licensed veterinarian as a hospital where animals are harbored, boarded and cared for incidental to the treatment, prevention, or alleviation of disease processes d…