AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS (Permits the town of Barrington to assess an annual dog licensing fee of seven dollars ($7.00).)

S2470

2026 -- S 2470
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LC004837
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS

Introduced By:
Senator Pamela J. Lauria

Date Introduced:
February 06, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Housing & Municipal Government
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 4-13-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-13 entitled "Dogs" is hereby
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amended to read as follows:
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4-13-4. Dog licenses — Fees — Penalties.
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(a)(1) Every owner or keeper of a dog shall annually, in April, obtain a license effective
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May 1 through the office of the city or town clerk of the city or town in which the owner or keeper
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resides.
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(2) The fees for the license shall be five dollars ($5.00).
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(3) No city or town shall issue any license under this section unless the dog has been
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inoculated against rabies for the period of time which the license would be valid.
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(4) All licenses issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be valid in every city or
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town during the then-current year.
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(5) Any person who becomes the owner or keeper of a dog shall obtain a license within
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thirty (30) days after he or she becomes the owner or keeper.
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(6)(i) The Cumberland town clerk may issue a license renewable every two (2) years for a
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licensing fee of six dollars ($6.00).
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(ii) Glocester town council may provide for an annual licensing fee of fourteen dollars
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($14.00) for all dogs, except spayed or neutered females and males, and for an annual licensing fee
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of seven dollars ($7.00) for spayed or neutered female and male dogs.
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(iii) Jamestown town council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee not to

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exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) for neutered dogs, and not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00)
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for unneutered dogs.
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(iv) Newport city council may, however, provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee
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of not more than ten dollars ($10.00) for all spayed and neutered dogs, and for an annual licensing
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fee of not more than fifteen dollars ($15.00) for unspayed females and unneutered males.
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(v) North Smithfield town council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee
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of five dollars ($5.00) for all dogs.
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(vi)(A) South Kingstown town council may provide for an annual licensing fee of twelve
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dollars ($12.00) for all dogs, except spayed or neutered female and male dogs, and for an annual
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licensing fee of seven dollars ($7.00) for spayed or neutered female and male dogs.
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(B) The South Kingstown town council may assess an impound fee.
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(vii)(A) Westerly town council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual license fee of ten
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dollars ($10.00) for unspayed female dogs and unneutered male dogs;
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(B) May provide for a fee of one dollar ($1.00) for the replacement of lost dog tags;
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(C) May provide that no fee be charged to license guide dogs used by persons with
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disabilities;
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(D) May provide for the number of licensed dogs which may be kept at any single-family
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residence, other than a breeding kennel; and
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(E) May provide for pecuniary penalties not exceeding twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for
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violations.
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(viii) Woonsocket city council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee of
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five dollars ($5.00) for all dogs.
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(ix)(A) West Warwick town council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual license fee
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of seven dollars ($7.00) for each neutered male or spayed female and fifteen dollars ($15.00) for
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each unneutered male and unspayed female.
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(B) May provide, by ordinance, for a payment of a two dollars ($2.00) fee for duplicate or
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for replacement tags.
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(x)(A) Pawtucket city council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee not
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to exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) for spayed or neutered dogs, and not to exceed twenty-five dollars
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($25.00) for unspayed or unneutered dogs.
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(B) May provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee for dogs owned by residents
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age 65 or older not to exceed five dollars ($5.00) for spayed or neutered dogs, and not to exceed
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ten dollars ($10.00) for unspayed or unneutered dogs.
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(xi) Scituate town council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual license fee not to

LC004837 - Page 2 of 4
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exceed twenty ($20.00) dollars for all dogs.
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(xii) Burrillville town council may:
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(A) Provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee of not more than ten dollars ($10.00)
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for all dogs; and
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(B) Provide for pecuniary penalties not exceeding twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for
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violations.
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(xiii) The Middletown town council may:
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(A) Provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee not to exceed twenty-five dollars
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($25.00) per dog.
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(xiv) Foster town council may:
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(A) Provide, by ordinance, for an annual or biennial licensing fee not to exceed fifteen
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dollars ($15.00) for all dogs; and
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(B) Provide for pecuniary damages not exceeding twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for
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violations.
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(xv) The Barrington town council may provide, by ordinance, for an annual licensing fee
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of not more than seven dollars ($7.00) per dog.
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(b) Every person, owning or keeping a dog not licensed and/or collared according to the
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provisions of this chapter, shall be fined ten dollars ($10.00) to be applied to the support of the city
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or town, and that fine shall be in addition to all other lawful fees.
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(c) Any city or town may waive the fee to be charged to license guide dogs used by persons
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with disabilities.
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(d) In the city of Woonsocket, every person owning or keeping a dog not licensed and/or
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collared according to the provisions of this chapter shall be fined fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first
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offense; one hundred dollars ($100) for the second offense; and one hundred fifty dollars ($150)
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for the third and subsequent offenses.
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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 permit the town of Barrington to assess an annual dog licensing fee of seven
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dollars ($7.00).
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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