The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Curry Lann.
DIGEST
SB 64 Engrossed 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.
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 definitions:
(1)"Severely injured" means an animal which because of major trauma, broken bones, blood
loss, or other easily apparent life-threatening condition, will not be expected to live and is
in severe pain or suffering.
(2)"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.
(3)"Terminally ill" means an animal that, because of apparent sickness or condition, is not
expected to live and is in dire physical distress.
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. Proposed law requires any animal seized while running at large and bearing no identification,
including a microchip registered to the owner or a name tag with traceable information, to be held
for a minimum of seventy-two hours prior to becoming property of the animal shelter or animal
control agency.
Proposed law further provides an exemption to the seventy-two hour minimum hold requirement for
the following animals:
(1)Any cat seized while running at large and bearing no identification which is sterilized and
returned to the area where the cat was originally seized.
(2)Any severely injured or terminally ill animal.
Effective August 1, 2017.
(Amends R.S. 3:2463(C) and (E); adds R.S. 3:2462(6), (7), and (8) and 2465(E) and (F))
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.