Dec. 30, 2019
CONTACT INFO. :
Office of the Mayor
Patricia Resende
(401) 529-3207
presende@cityofeastprov.com
Ordinance creates kennel license; forms stricter laws to protect animals
EAST PROVIDENCE, RI – The East Providence City Council has passed an ordinance that not only updates definitions to align with state laws, but also creates a kennel license and stricter rules on the tethering of dogs.
An initiative to update the ordinance first began with talks between Council President Robert Britto, Mayor Bob DaSilva and City Solicitor Michael Marcello last spring. With significant input from East Providence Animal Control Officer William Muggle and input from the City Council, the two-part ordinance received final passage on Dec. 3, 2019 and Dec. 17, 2019, respectively.
Council President Britto believed it was imperative that the Council take action to not only align the city’s ordinance with state laws, but to do what it could to thwart animal cruelty and to ensure dogs receive adequate veterinary care, food and water.
“With everything going on with animal cruelty throughout the state it was something we needed to bring forward and educate the community,” Britto said. “We needed to take a proactive approach.”
Under the amended ordinance, a dog owner cannot tether a dog with a choke-type collar, head collar or prong-type collar. An owner must not confine or tether a dog when the temperature is beyond the Tufts Animal Care and Condition Weather Safety Scale (TACC) weather safety scale.
The ordinance also states that no dog should be kept on a permanent tether that restricts the dog’s movement to an area less than 6 foot radius or 113 square feet. In addition, it states that a dog owner cannot keep a dog tethered for more than 10 hours during a 24-hour period, cannot tether a dog between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. (except for 15 minutes), and cannot keep any dog confined in an area or enclosure for more than14 hours during a 24-hour period.
In addition, the amended ordinance also includes the creation of a kennel license. The license, which is granted by the Council and expires annually on December 1, applies to any place that temporarily houses animals not owned by the proprietor. Under the amended ordinance, the Animal Control Officer will conduct yearly inspections within three months of the expiration date of the kennel license or upon receiving a complaint.
To report suspected animal abuse, neglect or cruelty, please contact East Providence Animal Control at 401-435-7675 or email wmuggle@cityofeastprov.com. If you are unable to contact the Animal Control Officer, please contact the RISPA’s law enforcement agent at 401-438-8150 Ext. 2 or by emailing cruelty@rispca.com.
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