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DEFENDERS OF ANIMALS
Rescued from a fire in Warwick and placed in a home by Defenders.
Legislation
(Introduced on behalf of Defenders of Animals)
Alert: Action needed to pass animal bills (February 19, 2008)
Please contact the members of the HEW Committee (listed below). Ask them to support these bill being heard on Wednesday, February 27.
Our Animal Friends Need as many people as possible at these hearings on Wednesday, February 27. It's imperative that there be support for these bills!!!!! Please plan to attend and record your name as in favor of these bills. (4:15-4:30 PM). Do you want to stop animals from being tied out in bad weather? Are you in favor of mandatory spay/neuter of cats (over 3,000 animals are destroyed each year in Rhode Island) Do you want the court to issue protective orders for animals regarding domestic violence? Do you want mandatory jail time for people involved in dog fighting? If so, you have to be there Wednesday, February 27.
IT'S ALL ON THE LINE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE
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NOTICE OF MEETING
DATE: Wednesday, February 27, 2008
TIME: Rise of the House
PLACE: Room 135 - State House
SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION
House Bill No. 7284
BY Serpa, Gallison, Silva, Lewiss, Fellela
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS {LC746} (prohibit any person from keeping a dog tethered, penned, caged, fenced or confined outside for more than thirty minutes when the temp is beyond the weather safety scale without access to outdoor housing)
01/29/08 Introduced, referred to House H.E.W.
02/27/08 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
House Bill No. 7354
BY Fellela, Serpa, Carter
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY - PERMIT PROGRAM FOR CATS {LC685} (provide that when a cat or kitten is offered for sale or adoption, the person so doing, either has to spay or neuter the cat or kitten prior to the adoption or sale or provide a spay or neuter prepaid certificate)
02/05/08 Introduced, referred to House H.E.W.
02/27/08 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
House Bill No. 7169
BY Lima, Baldelli-Hunt
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS {LC757} (require a court to issue animal protective orders against persons found guilty of abusing animals)
01/22/08 Introduced, referred to House H.E.W.
02/27/08 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
House Bill No. 7212
BY Lima, Coderre E, Serpa, Lewiss, Almeida
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS {LC890} (provide for judicia l discretion regarding incarceration for convictions related to animal fighting)
01/23/08 Introduced, referred to House H.E.W.
02/27/08 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
Robert Johnson
Committee Clerk
222-2296
POSTED: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2008, 09:23 AM
PLEASE CALL DEFENDERS OF ANIMALS AT 738-3710 IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
Representative
Representative Lisa Baldelli-Hunt
· CONTACT INFORMATION:
304 Prospect Street
Woonsocket, RI 02895
rep-baldellihunt@rilin.state.ri.us
Representative Steven John Coaty
CONTACT INFORMATION:
P.O. Box 1293Newport, RI 02840-3353
Tel: 401-848-7227
Email: rep-coaty@rilin.state.ri.us
rep-oaty@rilin.state.ri.us
Representative Grace Diaz
CONTACT: 45 Adelaide Avenue
Providence, RI 0290
(401) 575-3641
rep-diaz@rilin.state.ri.us
Representative Deborah A. Fellela
· CONTACT INFORMATION:
3 Diaz Street
Johnston, RI 02919
rep-fellela@rilin.state.ri.us
Representative Frank Ferri
38 Lippitt Avenue
Warwick, RI 02889
Phone: 401-737-5113
rep-ferri@rilin.state.ri.us
Representative Robert E. Flaherty
· CONTACT INFORMATION:
936 Buttonwoods Avenue
Warwick, RI 02886
(401) 781-7200
rep-flaherty@rilin.state.ri.us
Representative Arthur Handy
·
26 Welfare Avenue
Cranston, RI 02910
(401) 785-8996
rep-handy@rilin.state.ri.us
Representative Joseph M. McNamara
· Chairperson, Health, Education & Welfare
· CONTACT INFORMATION:
23 Howie Avenue
Warwick, RI 02888
(401)941-8319
rep-mcnamara@rilin.state.ri.us
Representative Patricia A. Serpa
· CONTACT INFORMATION:
194 Kimberly Lane
West Warwick, RI 02893
rep-serpa@rilin.state.ri.us
Representative Agostinho F. Silva
· CONTACT INFORMATION:
82 Ledge Street, 1st Floor
Central Falls, RI 02863
rep-silva@rilin.state.ri.us
Representative Susan A. Story
· CONTACT INFORMATION:
26 Broadview Drive
Barrington, RI 02806
(401)245-5083
rep-story@rilin.state.ri.us
Peter N. Wasylyk
Hoe21 Obediah Brown Road
Providence, RI 02909
(401)831-7730
rep-wasylyk@rilin.state.ri.us
Representative Thomas Winfield
· CONTACT INFORMATION:
2 Church Street
Smithfield, RI 02828
(401) 949-3356
rep-winfield@rilin.state.ri.us
More...
Legislation in RI to date for 2008 (Tuesday, January 22, 2008)
Pro animal bills introduced to date for 2008 in Rhode Island.We will need support from you to get these bills passed in the Senate and the House. Please let us know that you would be willing to send out emails, make a couple of calls, write letters and be at the hearings when they are scheduled. Defenders of Animals is supporting the following bills:
S-2030 By Tassoni, Maselli, Doyle, McBurney This Act would provide for mandatory imprisonment for convictions related to animal fighting.
http:www.rilin.state.ri.us//BillText08/SenateText08/S2030.pdf
S-2025 BY Tassoni, Maselli, Goodwin, Doyle, McBurney This Act would require training for new law enforcement officers to include techniques to aid investigating officers to become aware of incidents of crimes of domestic violence and other abuse crimes and how to react and investigate them. Those crimes would include child abuse, elder abuse, and cruelty to animals.
http://www.rilin.state.ri.us//BillText08/SenateText08/S2025.pdf
S- 2019 BY Tassoni, Maselli, Goodwin, Doyle, McBurney This Act would require a court to issue animal protective orders against persons found guilty of abusing animals. This Act would also allow an agent of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or a Municipal animal control officer to petition the district or superior court to have any animal confiscated and forfeited that is possessed by a person found guilty of animal abuse.
http://www.rilin.state.ri.us//BillText08/SenateText08/S2019.pdf
S-2008 BY Tassoni, McBurney, Doyle This Act would increase the various penalties related to animal cruelty.
http://www.rilin.state.ri.us//BillText08/SenateText08/S2008.pdf
Senate Bill No.2043
BY Tassoni, Doyle, McBurney, Felag
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- REGULATION OF VICIOUS DOGS
(add the director of the defenders of animals or his or her designee to the hearing panel which decides whether a dog should be declared vicious)
{LC71/1}
01/10/2008 Introduced, referred to Senate Constitutional and Regulatory Issues
Senate Bill No.2096
BY Tassoni, Sosnowski, Fogarty P, Issa
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS
(provide guidelines and penalties for any person that keeps a dog outside tethered, penned, caged, fenced or otherwise confined without adequate shelter from the elements)
{LC745/1}
01/15/2008 Introduced, referred to Senate Constitutional and Regulatory Issues
Senate Bill No.2097
BY Tassoni, Ciccone, Jabour, Maselli
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY - PERMIT PROGRAM FOR CATS
(provide that when a cat or kitten is offered for sale or adoption, the person so doing, either has to spay or neuter the cat or kitten prior to the adoption or sale or provide a spay or neuter prepaid certificate)
{LC538/1}
01/15/2008 Introduced, referred to Senate Constitutional and Regulatory Issues
Senate Bill No.2101
BY Tassoni, Issa, Perry, McBurney
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS
(prohibit any person from keeping a dog tethered/penned/caged/fenced/confined outside for 30 minutes when the temperature is beyond the weather safety scale without access to an outdoor housing facility)
{LC539/1}
01/22/2008 Introduced, referred to Senate Constitutional and Regulatory Issues
House Bill No.7169
BY Lima, Baldelli-Hunt
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
(require a court to issue animal protective orders against persons found guilty of abusing animals)
{LC757/1}
01/22/2008 Introduced, referred to House H.E.W. More...
Animal Fighting Bill in Rhode Island (Sunday, December 16, 2007)
12-13-07
Sen. Tassoni bills target animal fighting, animal abuse
STATE HOUSE - High profile as it is, the Michael Vick case is not unique. Animal fighting, specifically, and animal cruelty in general is an unfortunate but persistent part of human activity.
Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, North Smithfield) is sickened by animal abuse and animal abusers and has spent years in the General Assembly fighting it through new and stronger laws. Among his achievements is the 2006 law that established a breeder permit program for cats, featuring a spay/neuter program to control the cat population in the state and prevent the euthanization of thousands of malnourished and ill feral cats.
This year, Senator Tassoni has prefiled three bills to be taken up during the 2008 session that add more protections for animals from abuse and neglect, including one bill calling for higher fines and imprisonment for convictions related to animal fighting.
"Michael Vick (Atlanta Falcons ex-quarterback) is getting lots of media attention, but it's the mistreatment to the animals that cannot be overlooked," said Senator Tassoni. "Protecting animals from abuse and neglect is not just about punishing abusers but also about enacting laws to extend the kind of humane treatment animals deserve."
While animal fighting, owning fighting animals and attending animal fights is already outlawed in Rhode Island, Senator Tassoni's bill would make imprisonment for violations mandatory, not an option as currently provided by law. The imprisonment would still be for a period of up to two years. In addition, fines for anyone convicted of staging, promoting or betting on bird, dog or animal fights would be increased, with the minimum fine rising from $1,000 to $2,500 and the maximum fine increasing from $5,000 to $10,000.
"This kind of activity is nothing short of barbaric," said Senator Tassoni. "The penalties associated with it should be severe."
Another bill prefiled by Senator Tassoni for consideration when the General Assembly convenes in January would establish a new section of state statute, requiring the courts to issue animal protective orders against persons found guilty of animal abuse. The bill would also allow an agent of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or a municipal animal control officer to petition the district or superior court to confiscate any animal owned by a person guilty of abuse.
The final bill would increase various penalties related to animal cruelty. Basic fines for those guilty of mistreatment or neglect, which are now $50 to $500, would grow to a range of $100 to $1,000. Anyone guilty of malicious injury to or of killing animals would face a mandatory two-year jail sentence, a fine of up to $2,00 and a total of 50 hours of community restitution. Anyone guilty of violating current registration and filing procedures for animal research would face a $1,000 fine, up from the current $500.
"There must be accountability and punishment that fits the crime in cases where a pet or any other animal is neglected, abused, tortured or killed," said Senator Tassoni. "Pets and other animals have little or no defense, and it's our job to protect them."
For more information: Contact
Randall T. Szyba, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-2457
These bills are supported by Defenders of Animals, Inc. More...
Do you know how many animals you could help in one night? (March 16, 2007)
Nine important animal bills are going to be heard next Wednesday, March 21 starting around 4:00 to 4:30 PM (rise of the House) at the RI State House in room 135. More...
Animals ()
Animals can no longer be gassed in a pit with exhaust from a vehicle. More...
Dog license bill ()
The required dog license bill requires dog pounds, kennels, pet shops and similar facilities to provide temporary dog licenses for dogs which are sold or given away. More...
Gas chamber ()
Preventing dog officers from placing more than one animal in the gas chamber at a time. More...
Selling chicks and ducklings ()
Prohibiting pet stores from selling chicks and ducklings through Bill H-7843 has prevented individuals from buying them as pets. More...
Decompression chamber ()
Rhode Island became the 14th state to have banned the use of the decompression chamber. More...
Felony ()
Making it a felony to maliciously injure or kill animals irrespective of their being owned or being strays. More...
Save the Otter campaign ()
A Save the Otter campaign has taken place many times in the past several years in the General Assembly. More...
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