§ 4-1-3. Unnecessary cruelty.
(a) Every owner, possessor, or person having the charge or custody of any animal, who cruelly drives or works that animal when unfit for labor, or cruelly abandons that animal, or who carries that animal or who fails to provide that animal with adequate living conditions as defined in § 4-1-1, or who engages in the hazardous accumulation of animals as defined in § 4-1-1, or causes that animal, to be carried, in or upon any vehicle or otherwise, in a cruel or inhuman manner; or willfully, intentionally, maliciously, recklessly, and/or knowingly authorizes or permits that animal to be subjected to unnecessary torture, suffering, or cruelty of any kind; or who places, or causes to have placed, on any animal any substance that may produce irritation or pain or that is declared a hazardous substance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or by the state department of health, shall be punished for each offense in the manner provided in § 4-1-2. If the offense described in this section results in the death of the animal, the person shall be punished in the manner provided in § 4-1-5. If any owner, possessor, or person having the charge or custody of any animal is found guilty of or pleads nolo contendere to a violation of this section and said violation involves the hazardous accumulation of animals, the court shall, in imposing a penalty under this section, take into account whether the defendant’s conduct could be considered to be the result of a mental health disorder as defined in § 27-38.2-2.
(b) The substances proscribed by subsection (a) do not include any drug having curative and therapeutic effect for disease in animals and that is prepared and intended for veterinary use.
(c) University, college, or hospital research facilities licensed and/or inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Public Health Service of the Department of Health and Human Services shall be exempt from the provisions of subsection (a) provided that they are in good standing with the federal agency responsible for licensing or assurance of the facility.
History of Section.G.L. 1896, ch. 114, § 2; G.L. 1909, ch. 138, § 2; G.L. 1923, ch. 141, § 2; G.L. 1938, ch. 640, § 2; G.L. 1956, § 4-1-3; P.L. 1973, ch. 114, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 180, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 232, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 455, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 458, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 439, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 444, § 1.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Title 4 - Animals and Animal Husbandry
Chapter 4-1 - Cruelty to Animals
Section 4-1-1. - Definitions — Responsibility for agents and employees.
Section 4-1-2. - Overwork, mistreatment, or failure to feed animals — Shelter defined.
Section 4-1-3. - Unnecessary cruelty.
Section 4-1-3.1. - Prohibited practices in destruction of animals.
Section 4-1-3.2. - Animal confinement in motor vehicles prohibited.
Section 4-1-4. - Abandonment of infirm animals.
Section 4-1-5. - Malicious injury to or killing of animals.
Section 4-1-6. - Shearing of horses in winter.
Section 4-1-6.1. - Operating upon tails of bovines prohibited.
Section 4-1-7. - Live poultry containers.
Section 4-1-8. - Sale of chicks and ducklings — Dyeing prohibited.
Section 4-1-9. - Animal fighting.
Section 4-1-10. - Possession or training of fighting animals.
Section 4-1-11. - Attendance at bird or animal fight.
Section 4-1-13. - Forfeiture of fighting birds or animals.
Section 4-1-14. - Appeal of sentence of forfeiture.
Section 4-1-15. - Expense of care of seized birds or animals.
Section 4-1-16. - Use of birds as targets.
Section 4-1-17. - Unloading of animals in transit for rest, water, and feeding.
Section 4-1-18. - Arrest of violators without warrant — Care of animals.
Section 4-1-19. - Issuance of search warrants.
Section 4-1-21. - Powers of agents of society for prevention of cruelty to animals.
Section 4-1-22. - Care of neglected animals by society — Forfeiture of owner’s rights — Expenses.
Section 4-1-23. - Destruction of infirm animals by society.
Section 4-1-24. - Jurisdiction of offenses — Appeals.
Section 4-1-25. - Appropriations for prevention of cruelty — Payments to society.
Section 4-1-26. - Abandonment of animals.
Section 4-1-26.1. - Reports of abandoned, neglected or abused animals.
Section 4-1-27. - Auction of lost or abandoned animals and poultry.
Section 4-1-28. - Greasy pig contests prohibited.
Section 4-1-29. - Release of caged animals in park or zoo.
Section 4-1-30.1. - Cruelty to public safety — Dogs and horses.
Section 4-1-31. - Assignment of state veterinarian.
Section 4-1-33. - Persons using animals for research — Registration.
Section 4-1-34. - Destruction of racing greyhounds.
Section 4-1-34.1. - Restriction on sale of greyhounds.
Section 4-1-34.2. - Autopsies and medical treatment permitted.
Section 4-1-34.3. - Violations — Penalties.
Section 4-1-35. - Community restitution.
Section 4-1-36. - Psychiatric counseling.
Section 4-1-37. - Immunity from suit.
Section 4-1-38. - Use of the terms owner or guardian.
Section 4-1-39. - Transport and shelter of horses.
Section 4-1-40. - Possession of animals.
Section 4-1-41. - Devocalization or declawing as requirement for property occupancy prohibited.
Section 4-1-42. - Care of neglected animals by department — Forfeiture of owner’s rights — Expenses.
Section 4-1-43. - Use of bullhooks or similar devices on elephants prohibited.