S-0972.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5205

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Agriculture & Rural Economic Development (originally sponsored by Senators Morton, Rasmussen, Stevens, T. Sheldon, Honeyford, Sellar and Swecker)

Read first time 02/23/1999.

Changing provisions relating to the prevention of cruelty to animals. 

    AN ACT Relating to animal cruelty; and amending RCW 16.52.185.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 16.52.185 and 1994 c 261 s 22 are each amended to read as follows:

    Nothing in this chapter applies to accepted husbandry practices used in the commercial raising or slaughtering of livestock or poultry, or products ((thereof or)); to the use of animals in the normal and usual course of rodeo events; the humane, usual, and normal use of horses in racing activities that are authorized under chapter 67.16 RCW and that are subject to rules adopted by the Washington horse racing commission under RCW 67.16.020; the humane, normal, and usual use of horses, mules, or oxen, for logging, training, riding, showing, or driving; or to the customary humane use or exhibiting of animals in normal and usual events at fairs as defined in RCW 15.76.120.

For the purposes of this section, "humane" means animal use that would be characterized as kind, merciful, or compassionate by a reasonably prudent animal owner using the animal under the same conditions.

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