SLS 17RS-133 REENGROSSED
2017 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 64
BY SENATOR GATTI
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
ANIMALS. Provides for animal shelter operating procedures and training requirements and
authorizes animal shelters to post pictures of animals on a social media account or website.
(8/1/17)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 3:2463(C) and (E) and to enact R.S. 3:2462(6) and 2465(E),
3 relative to animal shelter operating procedures; to authorize animal shelters to post
4 pictures of animals on a social media account or website; to require inspectors and
5 shelter personnel to attend annual training; to provide for definitions; and to provide
6 for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 3:2463(C) and (E) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
9 3:2462(6) and 2465(E) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §2462. Definitions
11 As used in this Part, the following words shall have the following meanings
12 ascribed to them:
13 * * *
14 (6) "Social media account" means an Internet-based service that allows
15 individuals to do the following:
16 (a) Construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system
17 created by the service.
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1 (b) Create a list of other users with whom they share a connection within
2 the system.
3 (c) View and navigate their list of connections and those made by others
4 within the system.
5 §2463. General shelter standards
6 * * *
7 C.(1) Shelters shall be inspected at least once every six months by an
8 authorized representative of the parish to determine compliance with the
9 requirements of this Part. Additional inspections shall be made promptly upon
10 receipt of a bonafide complaint.
11 (2) The parish shall notify the director of the animal control agency or
12 shelter of the inspector's name in writing. Each individual authorized to
13 conduct shelter inspections for the parish shall annually attend training offered
14 by an organization that provides accredited continuing education courses
15 regarding shelter safety, animal welfare, and state compliance procedures, such
16 as the Louisiana Animal Control Association. The training requirement shall
17 apply only if an online training option is available.
18 * * *
19 E. Shelter personnel shall annually attend training offered by an
20 organization that provides accredited continuing education courses regarding
21 shelter safety, animal welfare, and state compliance procedures, such as the
22 Louisiana Animal Control Association and should be trained as to animal health,
23 disease control, humane care and treatment, animal control and transportation of
24 animals. Shelter workers shall be fundamentally humane, shall be able to identify
25 and understand the principal animal diseases and injuries, and should have good
26 judgment and even temperament. The training requirement shall apply only if an
27 online training option is available.
28 * * *
29 §2465. Operating procedures
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1 * * *
2 E. Any animal shelter that maintains a social media account or a website
3 may post pictures of every animal that enters the shelter upon intake and again
4 prior to euthanasia of the animal.
The original instrument was prepared by Curry J. Lann. The following digest,
which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was prepared
by Nancy Vicknair.
DIGEST
SB 64 Reengrossed 2017 Regular Session Gatti
Present law requires animal shelters to be inspected at least once every six months by an
authorized representative of the parish in which it is located.
Proposed law retains present law and further requires each parish to notify the director of the
animal control agency or shelter of the inspector's name in writing.
Proposed law requires inspectors and shelter personnel to annually attend training offered
by an organization that provides accredited continuing education courses regarding shelter
safety, animal welfare, and state compliance procedures, such as the Louisiana Animal
Control Association. Provides, however, that the training requirement shall apply only if an
online training option is available.
Present law (R.S. 3:2463-2465) provides for animal shelter minimum standards and
operating procedures.
Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law provides for the following definition:
(1)"Social media account" means an Internet-based service that allows individuals to
do the following:
(a)Construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system created by
the service.
(b)Create a list of other users with whom they share a connection within the
system.
(c)View and navigate their list of connections and those made by others within
the system.
Present law requires shelters to be inspected at least every six months by an authorized
parish representative and authorizes additional inspections be made promptly upon receipt
of a complaint. Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law requires the parish to notify the director of the animal control agency or shelter
of the inspector's name in writing. Requires each individual authorized to conduct shelter
inspections to annually attend training provided by an organization providing accredited
continuing education courses and further provides that the requirement for such training shall
only apply if an online training option is available.
Proposed law requires shelter personnel to annually attend the same training as shelter
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inspectors and provides that such training requirement shall apply only if an online training
option is available.
Proposed law authorizes any animal shelter that maintains a social media account or a
website to post pictures of every animal that enters the shelter upon intake and again prior
to euthanasia of the animal.
Effective August 1, 2017.
(Amends R.S. 3:2463(C) and (E); adds R.S. 3:2462(6) and 2465(E))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry,
Aquaculture, and Rural Development to the original bill
1. Defines the terms "severely injured" and "terminally ill".
2. Expands the training requirement for inspectors and shelter personnel to
include organizations that offer accredited continuing education courses
regarding shelter safety, animal welfare, and state compliance procedures.
3. Exempts certain cats and severely injured or terminally ill animals from the
seventy-two hour minimum hold requirement.
Senate Floor Amendments to engrossed bill
1. Removes the definitions of "severely injured" and "terminally ill".
2. Adds a provision that the annual training requirement for individuals
authorized to conduct shelter inspections and shelter personnel shall only
apply only if an online training option is available.
3. Deletes the provision requiring a minimum 72-hour hold for any animal
seized while running at large and bearing no identification prior to such
animal becoming property of the animal shelter or animal control agency.
4. Deletes the provisions exempting certain animals from the minimum 72-hour
hold.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.