AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS (Increases penalties for a second or subsequent offense with a fine of not less than $500 or no more than $2,500 and up to 2 years imprisonment, for violating the law on the care of dogs.)

S2397

2026 -- S 2397
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS

Introduced By:
Senators Urso, Tikoian, LaMountain, Bissaillon, Britto, Dimitri,
Patalano, Appollonio, and Paolino

Date Introduced:
January 30, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Sections 4-13-13, 4-13-39 and 4-13-42 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-13
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entitled "Dogs" are hereby amended to read as follows:
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4-13-13. Wrongful removal of collar — Theft or destruction of licensed dogs —
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Poisoning.
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(a)
Whoever wrongfully removes the collar from the neck of a dog licensed and collared
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according to the provisions of this chapter, or steals a dog licensed or collared, or kills, maims,
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entices, carries away, or detains a licensed dog, or distributes or exposes a poisonous substance,
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with the intent that the poisonous substance shall be eaten by a licensed dog, shall be punished by
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a fine of not less than
ten dollars ($10.00)

one hundred dollars ($100)
, nor more than
one hundred
10
dollars ($100)

one thousand dollars ($1,000)
or be imprisoned not exceeding thirty (30) days, or
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both, and shall be liable to the dog’s owner for damages in a civil action.
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(b) Any person who has been previously convicted of an offense provided for in chapter
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13 of title 4 shall, upon conviction of a second or subsequent violation within a ten-year (10) period,
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be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) and not exceeding one thousand
15
dollars ($1,000) or be imprisoned for a period not exceeding one year, or both. In addition, every
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person convicted under chapter 13 of title 4 of a second or subsequent offense shall be required to
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serve one hundred (100) hours of public community restitution, as defined in § 11-62-1. The public
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community restitution penalty shall not be suspended or deferred and is mandatory.
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4-13-39. Penalties.

1

Any

Except where otherwise specified that a violation shall result in a greater penalty, any

2
person convicted of a violation of this chapter shall be fined fifty dollars ($50) for a first offense
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and one hundred dollars ($100) for a second and subsequent offense.
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4-13-42. Care of dogs.
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(a) It shall be a violation of this section for an owner or keeper to:
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(1) Keep any dog on a permanent tether that restricts movement of the tethered dog to an
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area less than one hundred thirteen square feet (113 sq. ft.), or less than a six foot (6′) radius at
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ground level.
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(2) Tether a dog with a choke-type collar, head collar, or prong-type collar. The weight of
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any chain or tether shall not exceed one-eighth (⅛) of the dog’s total body weight.
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(3) Keep any dog tethered for more than ten (10) hours during a twenty-four-hour (24)
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period or keep any dog confined in an area or primary enclosure for more than fourteen (14) hours
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during any twenty-four-hour (24) period, and more than ten (10) hours during a twenty-four-hour
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(24) period, if the area is not greater than that which is required under the most recently adopted
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version of the department of environmental management’s rules and regulations governing animal
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care facilities.
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(4) Tether a dog anytime from the hours of ten o’clock p.m. (10:00 p.m.) to six o’clock
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a.m. (6:00 a.m.), except for a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes.
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(5) Keep any dog outside, either tethered or otherwise confined, when the ambient
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temperature is beyond the industry standard for the weather safety scale as set forth in the most
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recent adopted version of the Tufts Animal Care and Condition Weather Safety Scale (TACC).
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(b) It shall be a violation of this section for an owner or keeper to fail to provide a dog with
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adequate feed, adequate water, or adequate veterinary care as those terms are defined in § 4-19-2;
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provided however, that adequate veterinary care may be provided by an owner using acceptable
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animal husbandry practices.
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(c) Exposing any dog to adverse weather conditions strictly for the purpose of conditioning
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shall be prohibited.
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(d) The provisions of this section, as they relate to the duration and timeframe of tethering
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or confinement, shall not apply:
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(1) If the tethering or confinement is authorized for medical reasons in writing by a
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veterinarian licensed in Rhode Island, the authorization is renewed annually, and shelter is
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provided;
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(2) If tethering or confinement is authorized in writing by an animal control officer, or duly
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sworn police officer assigned to the animal control division, for the purposes of, including, but not

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limited to, hunting dogs, dogs protecting livestock, and sled dogs. Written authorization must be
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renewed annually. The written authorization issued by an animal control officer or duly sworn
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police officer assigned to the animal control division in the political subdivision of the state where
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the dogs are kept shall be considered valid in every other political subdivision of the state. The
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written authorization issued by an animal control officer or duly sworn police officer assigned to
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the animal control division in the political subdivision of the state where the dogs are kept is
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revocable by that animal control officer or police officer if there are any conditions present that
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warrant revocation. The conditions include, but are not limited to, changes in the number or type
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of dogs, changes in the facility structure or safety, and changes in the health of the dog;
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(3) To any entity licensed by the state pursuant to chapter 19 of title 4, or any veterinary
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facility; or
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(4) [Deleted by P.L. 2018, ch. 118, § 1 and P.L. 2018, ch. 198, § 1.]
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(5) [Deleted by P.L. 2018, ch. 118, § 1 and P.L. 2018, ch. 198, § 1.]
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(6) To an exhibitor holding a class C license under the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. §
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2133) that are temporarily in the state, if authorized by the department of environmental
16
management (DEM).
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(7) [Deleted by P.L. 2018, ch. 118, § 1 and P.L. 2018, ch. 198, § 1.]
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(e)
(1)
Any person in violation of this section shall be imprisoned not exceeding eleven (11)
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months, or fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor exceeding one thousand dollars
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($1,000), or both. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.
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(2) For a second or subsequent violation, sequentially removed in time from the violation(s)
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of subsection (e)(1) of this section, the fine shall be not less than five hundred dollars ($500), or
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more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) and up to two (2) years imprisonment.
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(f)
General

Animal control officers of the cities and towns, or general
agents or special
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agents of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA) are hereby
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authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter in cooperation with
animal control officers and
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the department of environmental management (DEM).
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS
***
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This act would increase penalties for a second or subsequent offense with a fine of not less
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than five hundred dollars ($500) or no more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) and
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up to two years (2) imprisonment, for violating the law on the care of dogs. This act would further
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amend existing law to include city and town animal control officers as agents authorized to enforce
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the provisions of this law.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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