§ 4-13.1-1 - Declaration of purpose. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 4-13.1-1

   § 4-13.1-1  Declaration of purpose. –(a) It is declared that vicious dogs have become a serious and widespreadthreat to the safety and welfare of citizens of the state, in that vicious dogshave in recent years assaulted without provocation and seriously injurednumerous individuals, particularly children, and have killed numerous dogs.Many of these attacks have occurred in public places.

   (b) The number and severity of these attacks are alsoattributable to the failure of owners to register, confine, and properlycontrol vicious dogs.

   (c) It is further declared that the necessity for theregulation and control of vicious dogs is a statewide problem, requiringstatewide regulation, and that existing laws are inadequate to deal with thethreat to public health and safety posed by vicious dogs.

   (d) It is further declared that the owning, keeping orharboring of vicious dogs is a nuisance.

   (e) It is further declared that because of the danger posedto the public, health, safety and welfare by vicious dogs, this chapterconstitutes an emergency measure providing for the immediate preservation ofthe public health, safety and welfare.