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2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 216
BY SENATOR CARTER
ANIMALS. Creates the Louisiana Animal Shelter Registry. (8/1/16)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S.3:2364(D)(11) and 2366, relative to animal shelters; to create the Louisiana
3 Animal Shelter Registry; to provide relative to the duties of the Louisiana Animal
4 Welfare Commission; to require registration of animal shelters; to provide for
5 definitions; to provide for registration form requirements; to require certain records;
6 and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S.3:2364(D)(11) and 2366 are hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §2364. Louisiana Animal Welfare Commission
10 * * *
11 D. Duties and functions. The commission shall have powers and duties
12 necessary to carry out its purpose, including but not limited to the following:
13 * * *
14 (11) To establish and maintain the Louisiana Animal Shelter Registry.
15 * * *
16 §2366. Louisiana Animal Shelter Registry
17 A. (1) The legislature finds that the state of Louisiana has an interest in
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1 the care and control of homeless companion animals for public health, safety,
2 and humane reasons.
3 (2) The legislature further finds that the establishment and maintenance
4 of an animal shelter registry will enable governmental entities and humane
5 organizations to review and analyze the scope of the homeless animal population
6 in the state.
7 B. As used in this Section, the following terms are defined as follows:
8 (1) "Animal shelter" means any building, structure, site, enclosure, or
9 other facility used or operated for the housing or impoundment of any stray,
10 homeless, abandoned, or unwanted companion animal for any length of time
11 which is operated by a parish governing authority or municipality, regardless
12 of whether an adoption program is operated at the facility.
13 (2) "Commission" means the Louisiana Animal Welfare Commission.
14 C. The commission shall establish and maintain a registry for animal
15 shelters called the Louisiana Animal Shelter Registry.
16 D. (1) Every animal shelter operated by a parish governing authority or
17 municipality shall register with the commission on or before the first day of
18 February of each calender year.
19 (2) Registration forms shall be made available by the commission.
20 Animal shelters shall complete and submit registration forms electronically on
21 the commission's website or by mail.
22 (3) Registration forms shall require the following information about the
23 animal shelter:
24 (a) The initial or proposed date of operation.
25 (b) The name, physical address, mailing address, contact number, and
26 email address of the animal shelter.
27 (c) The name, physical address, mailing address, contact number, and
28 email address of the governing authority or operator of the animal shelter.
29 (d) The name and contact information for the parish or municipal
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1 animal control officer.
2 (e) The hours of operation.
3 (f) The animal intake numbers by species.
4 (g) The disposition of animals.
5 (h) The name and address of an animal's owner, if known.
6 (4) The commission shall provide public notices pertaining to the
7 registry.
8 (5) Each animal shelter shall notify the commission of any changes in
9 registration form information within thirty days.
10 E. The commission may require additional forms, including but not
11 limited to any contracts entered into by an animal shelter for spay and neuter
12 services.
13 F. Records of animal intake numbers and the disposition of animals shall
14 be required for registration renewals beginning on February 1, 2017.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Curry Lann.
DIGEST
SB 216 Original 2016 Regular Session Carter
Present law provides for the duties and functions of the Louisiana Animal Welfare
Commission ("commission").
Proposed law requires the commission to establish and maintain the Louisiana Animal
Shelter Registry.
Proposed law provides for the following definitions:
(1)"Animal shelter" means any building, structure, site, enclosure, or other facility used
or operated for the housing or impoundment of any stray, homeless, abandoned, or
unwanted companion animals for any length of time which is operated by a parish
governing authority or municipality, regardless of whether an adoption program is
operated at the facility.
(2) "Commission" means the Louisiana Animal Welfare Commission.
Proposed law requires every animal shelter operated by a parish governing authority or
municipality to register with the commission on or before February 1 of each year.
Proposed law requires the commission to provide registration forms and animal shelters to
complete and submit forms electronically on the commission's website or by mail.
Proposed law requires that registration forms require the following information about the
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 216
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animal shelter:
(1)The initial or proposed date of operation.
(2)The name, physical address, mailing address, contact number, and email of the
animal shelter.
(3)The name, physical address, mailing address, contact number, and email of the
governing authority or operator of the animal shelter.
(4)The name and contact information for the parish or municipal animal control officer.
(5)The hours of operation.
(6)The animal intake numbers by species.
(7)The disposition of animals.
(8)The name and address of an animal's owner, if known.
Proposed law requires the commission to provide public notices pertaining to the registry.
Proposed law requires animal shelters to notify the commission of any changes in
registration form information within 30 days.
Proposed law authorizes the commission to require additional forms, including but not
limited to any contracts entered into by an animal shelter for spay and neuter services.
Animal shelters may request the commission to provide modified forms.
Proposed law requires records of animal intake numbers and the disposition of animals for
registration renewals beginning on February 1, 2017.
Effective August 1, 2016.
(Adds R.S.3:2364(D)(11) and 2366)
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.