84R8113 LED-D
By: Elkins H.B. No. 2276
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the development and maintainance of certain records and
written policies of animal shelters.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 821, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 821.058 to read as follows:
Sec. 821.058. WRITTEN EUTHANASIA POLICY. An animal shelter
that has a policy of routinely euthanizing dogs based on the breed
or size of the dog must develop a written statement of the shelter's
euthanasia policy. A dog that is euthanized according to the policy
developed under this section must be included in the shelter's
record of disposition of animals required by Section 823.010.
SECTION 2. Chapter 823, Health and Safety Code, is amended
by adding Section 823.010 to read as follows:
Sec. 823.010. INTAKE AND DISPOSITION RECORDS. (a) Each
animal shelter operated in this state shall prepare and maintain
records regarding the intake and disposition of animals in the
shelter, including:
(1) the total number of animals, categorized by
species, as dog, cat, or other, taken in by the animal shelter and
the reason an animal was taken in, including whether the animal was:
(A) surrendered by the animal's owner;
(B) identified as a stray;
(C) impounded;
(D) confiscated;
(E) transferred to the shelter from a location in
this state;
(F) transferred to the shelter from a location
outside this state; or
(G) born in the shelter;
(2) the number of animals at the animal shelter on the
last day of each month; and
(3) the disposition of each animal taken in by the
animal shelter, categorized by species, including whether the
animal:
(A) was adopted;
(B) was reclaimed by the animal's owner;
(C) died in the shelter;
(D) was transferred to another shelter;
(E) was euthanized by the shelter on a decision
made by the shelter;
(F) was euthanized at the owner's request;
(G) was released into its natural habitat; or
(H) was lost while in the shelter's care.
(b) An animal shelter shall monthly prepare the records
required by Subsection (a).
(c) An animal shelter shall maintain records prepared under
Subsection (a) until at least the third anniversary of the date the
record was prepared.
(d) An animal shelter shall make the records required by
this section available to the public.
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
an animal taken in or disposed of by an animal shelter or counted in
the shelter's animal total on or after the effective date of this
Act.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.