§ 34-48-1 - Lien on animals for their keep – Transfer of abandoned animals.
SECTION 34-48-1
§ 34-48-1 Lien on animals for their keep– Transfer of abandoned animals. – (a) When an agreement has been made between the owner of any animals,including, but not limited to, horses, birds and fish, and any person who keepsand feeds the animals, regarding the price of keeping, the animals shall besubject to a lien for the price of the keeping, in favor of the person keepingthe animals; and the person keeping the animals may detain them until the debtis paid; and, if it is not paid within thirty (30) days after it is due, he orshe may sell the animals, or so many as necessary at public auction, upongiving written notice to the owner of the time and place of the sale at leastsix (6) days before the sale, and apply the proceeds to the payment of anydebts, returning the surplus, if any, to the owner.
(b) A kennel, as defined in § 4-19-2, or a veterinaryhospital which boards or grooms animals for nonmedical purposes, may transferany abandoned animal in its custody to a Rhode Island licensed nonprofit animalrescue, animal shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, oradoption organization which annually places ten (10) or more animals in privatehomes as pets. An animal shall be considered abandoned if the owner or keeperof the animal fails to retrieve the animal within thirty (30) days of the datethe owner or keeper was scheduled to retrieve the animal. Prior to transferringthe animal, the kennel or veterinary hospital shall give notice of itsintention to do so to the owner or keeper at his or her last known address byregistered or certified mail, return receipt requested, and shall allow aperiod of ten (10) days to elapse after the receipt is returned beforetransferring the animal. Each kennel and veterinary hospital shall post in avisible location the procedures provided for in this subsection and shall givea written notice of these procedures to any person who boards an animal at akennel or with a veterinary hospital. Any nonprofit organization which receivesan animal in accordance with the provisions of this subsection shall not beliable in any civil action brought by the previous owner or keeper of theanimal for any subsequent transfer or disposal of the animal by theorganization.