SB328 • 2025

Prohibits an animal shelter from destroying a dog or cat on the basis of a lack of space for housing the dog or cat.

Housing

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Senator Jama
Last action: 2025-06-27
Official status: In Senate Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Prohibits an animal shelter from destroying a dog or cat on the basis of a lack of space for housing the dog or cat.

Digest: The Act prohibits animal shelters from killing dogs or cats due to a lack of space.

What This Bill Does

Digest: The Act prohibits animal shelters from killing dogs or cats due to a lack of space.
The Act makes an exception for dogs or cats with fatal illnesses or severe injuries.
The Act requires certain related reporting.
(Flesch Readability Score: 63.9).

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2025-06-27 Senate
In committee upon adjournment.
2025-01-17 Senate
Referred to Housing and Development.
2025-01-13 Senate
Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.

Official Summary Text

Digest: The Act prohibits animal shelters from killing dogs or cats due to a lack of space. The Act makes an exception for dogs or cats with fatal illnesses or severe injuries. The Act requires certain related reporting. (Flesch Readability Score: 63.9).
Prohibits an animal shelter from destroying a dog or cat on the basis of a lack of space for housing the dog or cat. Provides an exception if an animal has a terminal illness or severe injury. Instructs animal shelters to annually report on the destruction of animals. Instructs the State Department of Agriculture to annually report to committees or interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to animals on the destruction of animals by animal shelters.
Relating to: Relating to the destruction of animals by animal shelters.
Current location: In Senate Committee

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Senate Bill 328
Sponsored by Senator JAMA (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act prohibits animal shelters from killing dogs or cats due to a lack of space. The
Act makes an exception for dogs or cats with fatal illnesses or severe injuries. The Act requires
certain related reporting. (Flesch Readability Score: 63.9).
Prohibits an animal shelter from destroying a dog or cat on the basis of a lack of space for
housing the dog or cat. Provides an exception if an animal has a terminal illness or severe injury.
Instructs animal shelters to annually report on the destruction of animals. Instructs the State De-
partment of Agriculture to annually report to committees or interim committees of the Legislative
Assembly related to animals on the destruction of animals by animal shelters.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to the destruction of animals by animal shelters.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
(1) A city or county that maintains a facility to perform animal control
functions, a facility with which a city or county has contracted to perform animal control
functions or a humane society:
(a) May not cause a dog or cat to be destroyed, as described in ORS 609.405, on the basis
of a lack of space for housing the dog or cat.
(b) Shall establish a clear and documented limit for housing dogs and cats that is ap-
proved by the State Department of Agriculture.
(c) Shall submit a report to the department by July 1 of each year describing:
(A) The intake of dogs and cats since the last report under this paragraph.
(B) Limits for housing dogs and cats that are established under paragraph (b) of this
subsection.
(C) Any destruction of animals, including dogs or cats, since the last report under this
paragraph, including reasons for the destruction.
(2) Subsection (1)(a) of this section does not apply to the destruction of a dog or cat that
is suffering from a terminal illness or severe injury, as determined by a licensed
veterinarian.
(3) The department shall:
(a) Establish a process for approving limits for housing dogs and cats, as described in
subsection (1)(b) of this section.
(b) Report, in the manner prescribed by ORS 192.245, to committees or interim commit-
tees of the Legislative Assembly related to animals, on or before September 1 of each year,
on the reports the department received pursuant to subsection (1)(c) of this section since the
department’s last report under this paragraph.
NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 3251