Introduced Version
SENATE BILL No. 68
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DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 15-20-5.
Synopsis: Return of lost pets to owners. Requires an animal care
facility to adopt policies and procedures that govern the return of lost
or stray dogs and cats to the dog's or cat's owner. Provides animal care
policies and procedures that an animal care facility may include to
return lost or stray dogs and cats to the dog's or cat's owner.
Effective: July 1, 2022.
Alting
January 4, 2022, read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture.
2022 IN 68—LS 6178/DI 148 Introduced
Second Regular Session of the 122nd General Assembly (2022)
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
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SENATE BILL No. 68
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
agriculture and animals.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 15-20-5 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS
2 A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
3 1, 2022]:
4 Chapter 5. Return of Lost or Stray Companion Animals by
5 Animal Care Facilities
6 Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "animal care facility" refers to
7 any of the following:
8 (1) A humane society.
9 (2) An animal control agency.
10 (3) A governmental entity that operates an animal shelter or
11 other animal impounding facility.
12 Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "companion animal" means a
13 dog or cat.
14 Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "owner" refers to the owner of
15 a companion animal.
16 Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "unit" has the meaning set forth
17 in IC 36-1-2-23.
2022 IN 68—LS 6178/DI 148 2
1 Sec. 5. An animal care facility shall adopt written policies and
2 procedures to ensure that the animal care facility makes a
3 reasonable effort to quickly and reliably return a lost or stray
4 companion animal to an owner. A policy or procedure adopted
5 under this chapter may include the following:
6 (1) A process to screen a lost or stray companion animal that
7 includes a review of the animal for any identifying:
8 (A) tag;
9 (B) license;
10 (C) microchip; or
11 (D) tattoo.
12 (2) A process for the animal care facility to match a lost or
13 stray companion animal with any report that the animal care
14 facility receives from an owner who reports a lost or stray
15 companion animal.
16 (3) A procedure to notify the public not later than forty-eight
17 (48) hours after the animal care facility receives a lost or stray
18 companion animal. The notification described in this
19 subdivision may include a notice posted on the:
20 (A) property of the animal care facility; or
21 (B) animal care facility's Internet web site.
22 (4) A procedure to make a reasonable effort to notify an
23 identified owner of a lost or stray companion animal not later
24 than forty-eight (48) hours after the animal is identified. A
25 reasonable effort to notify an identified owner may include an
26 attempt to contact the identified owner by telephone,
27 electronic mail, United States mail, or by personal service at
28 the owner's last known address.
29 (5) Notice to the public of the following information:
30 (A) The location of the animal care facility posted on the
31 animal care facility's Internet web site.
32 (B) The animal care facility's hours and fees posted on the
33 animal care facility's:
34 (i) Internet web site;
35 (ii) physical location; and
36 (iii) telephone voicemail message system.
37 (C) The animal care facility's procedure for returning a
38 companion animal to an owner posted on the animal care
39 facility's Internet web site.
40 (6) Access for an owner to retrieve a lost or stray companion
41 animal on at least one (1) weekend day per week and after 5
42 p.m. on at least one (1) weekday per week. However, this
2022 IN 68—LS 6178/DI 148 3
1 subdivision may not be construed to require an animal care
2 facility to increase the facility's total operating hours.
3 (7) A procedure that allows a law enforcement officer, a
4 person with authority to impound an animal, or another
5 person who is employed by an animal care facility to directly
6 return a lost or stray companion animal to the animal's owner
7 when the owner is identifiable.
8 (8) Procedural safeguards to minimize the euthanasia of an
9 owned companion animal, which may include:
10 (A) record verification to ensure that each companion
11 animal to be euthanized is the correct companion animal
12 designated for the procedure; and
13 (B) proper scanning for an implanted microchip using a
14 universal scanner immediately before the procedure.
15 (9) This subdivision applies to an animal care facility located
16 in a unit that has established by ordinance or resolution a
17 minimum period to hold a lost or stray companion animal. A
18 procedure to allow for a temporary extension of a minimum
19 period to hold a lost or stray companion animal if:
20 (A) the President of the United States declares a disaster;
21 or
22 (B) the governor declares a state of disaster emergency
23 under IC 10-14-3-12;
24 for the area where the animal care facility is located and the
25 unit determines it is necessary to extend the minimum period
26 to hold a lost or stray companion animal.
2022 IN 68—LS 6178/DI 148