Vermont Statutes Title 20 Sec. 3903
Terms Used In Vermont Statutes Title 20 Sec. 3903
- Animal shelter: means a facility that is used to house or contain animals and 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. See
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- following: when used by way of reference to a section of the law shall mean the next preceding or following section. See
- Person: means any individual, partnership, firm, joint stock company, corporation, association, trust, estate, or other legal entity. See
- Rescue organization: means any organization that accepts more than five animals in a calendar year for the purpose of finding adoptive homes for the animals. See
§ 3903. Animal shelters and rescue organizations
(a) [Repealed.]
(b) Animal intake. An animal shelter or rescue organization as defined by section 3901 of this title shall make every effort to collect the following information about an animal it accepts: the name and address of the person transferring the animal and, if known, the name of the animal; its vaccination history; and other information concerning the background, temperament, and health of the animal.
(c) Nonprofit status. A rescue organization under this chapter shall be recognized and approved as a nonprofit organization under 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3).
(d) Immunity from liability. Notwithstanding section 3901a of this title, any animal shelter or rescue organization assisting law enforcement in an animal cruelty investigation or seizure that, in good faith, provides care and treatment to an animal involved in the investigation or seizure shall not be held liable for civil damages by the owner of the animal unless the actions of the shelter or organization constitute gross negligence. (Added 1971, No. 27, § 5, eff. March 24, 1971; amended 1997, No. 130 (Adj. Sess.), § 14; 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2009, No. 158 (Adj. Sess.), § 11; 2013, No. 30, § 6; 2015, No. 149 (Adj. Sess.), § 28; 2018, No. 8 (Sp. Sess.), § 15, eff. June 28, 2018.)