Rhode Island General Laws 4-13-1.3. Rabies control board

Current as of: 2024 | Check for updates | Other versions

(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.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 4-13-1.3

Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.

(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.

History of Section.
P.L. 1992, ch. 353, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 388, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 180, § 3; P.L. 2006, ch. 22, § 2; P.L. 2006, ch. 27, § 2; P.L. 2016, ch. 512, art. 2, § 47; P.L. 2017, ch. 11, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 28, § 1.

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Rhode Island General Laws 4-13.1-3. Requirements for registration

Current as of: 2024 | Check for updates | Other versions

(a) No dog that has been declared vicious shall be licensed by any city or town for any licensing period commencing after April 1986, unless the owner or keeper of that dog that has been declared vicious meets any or all of the following requirements as may be imposed by the hearing panel:

(1) A panel convened pursuant to § 4-13.1-11 of this chapter and/or a judge of the district court may require the owner or keeper to present to the city or town clerk or other licensing authority proof that the owner or keeper has procured liability insurance in the amount of at least one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), covering any damage or injury which may be caused by the vicious dog during the twelve (12) month period for which licensing is sought, which policy contains a provision requiring the city or town to be named as additional insured for the sole purpose of the city or town clerk or other licensing authority where that dog is licensed to be notified by the insurance company of any cancellation, termination or expiration of the liability insurance policy.

(2) The owner or keeper shall, at his or her own expense, have the licensing number assigned to the vicious dog, or any other identification number that the city or town clerk or other licensing authority determines, tattooed upon the vicious dog by a licensed veterinarian or person trained as a tattooist and authorized a licensed veterinarian or tattooist by any state, city or town police department. The tattoo shall be placed on the upper inner left rear thigh of the vicious dog. The dog officer may, in his or her discretion, designate the particular location of the tattoo. The licensing number shall be noted on the city or town licensing files for the vicious dog, if it is different from the license number of the vicious dog. For the purposes of this section, tattoo shall be defined as any permanent numbering of a vicious dog by means of indelible or permanent ink with the number designated by the licensing authority, or any other permanent, acceptable method of tattooing. A microchip may be used in lieu of a tattoo. Each city or town shall affix a two (2) letter prefix to the identification number in order to identify the particular city or town where the dog was initially licensed.

(3) The owner or keeper shall display a sign on his or her premises warning that there is a vicious dog on the premises. The sign shall be visible and capable of being read from the public highway.

(4) The owner or keeper shall sign a statement attesting that:

(i) The owner or keeper shall maintain and not voluntarily cancel the liability insurance required by this section during the twelve (12) month period for which licensing is sought, unless the owner or keeper ceases to own or keep the vicious dog prior to expiration of the license.

(ii) The owner or keeper shall have an enclosure for the vicious dog on the property where the vicious dog will be kept or maintained.

(iii) The owner or keeper shall notify the police department or the dog officer within two (2) hours if a vicious dog is on the loose, is unconfined, has attacked another animal or has attacked a human being, or has died.

(5) When the dog is off the owner’s property, it shall be on a leash and/or muzzled.

(6) When the dog is outdoors on the owner’s property, it must be on a leash and/or muzzled, or tie-out, or in an enclosed area which prevents its escape.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 4-13.1-3

in writing: include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of the usual form. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16
person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9

(b) A dog officer is empowered to make whatever inquiry is deemed necessary to ensure compliance with this chapter, and any dog officer is empowered to seize and impound any vicious dog whose owner or keeper fails to comply with this chapter.

(c) In the event that the owner or keeper of the dog refuses to surrender the animal to the dog officer, the dog officer may request a police officer to obtain a search warrant from a justice of the district court and to seize the dog upon execution of the warrant.

(d) A dog must be spayed or neutered unless a licensed veterinarian states in writing that the procedure would threaten the life of the dog.

(e) If an owner or keeper moves, he or she shall notify the dog officer of the city or town in which he/she resides and the dog officer of the city or town in which he or she is to reside.

(f) An owner or keeper may leave a dog under the care and control of someone over the age of sixteen (16) years.

(g) It shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper to sell or give away any dog declared vicious.

History of Section.
P.L. 1985, ch. 400, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 429, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 274, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 365, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 374, § 1.

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