CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5227

Chapter 376, Laws of 2007

60th Legislature
2007 Regular Session



ANIMAL ABANDONMENT



EFFECTIVE DATE: 07/22/07

Passed by the Senate April 17, 2007
  YEAS 47   NAYS 1

BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate
Passed by the House April 9, 2007
  YEAS 98   NAYS 0

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


 
CERTIFICATE

I, Thomas Hoemann, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5227 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

THOMAS HOEMANN
________________________________________    
Secretary
Approved May 8, 2007, 4:18 p.m.








CHRISTINE GREGOIRE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington
 
FILED
May 10, 2007







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5227
_____________________________________________

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

Passed Legislature - 2007 Regular Session
State of Washington60th Legislature2007 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Senators Tom, Kline, Carrell, Rasmussen, Stevens, Shin, Roach, McAuliffe, Weinstein, Jacobsen, Kohl-Welles and Kilmer)

READ FIRST TIME 02/07/07.   



     AN ACT Relating to animal abandonment; amending RCW 16.52.207 and 16.52.011; and prescribing penalties.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 16.52.207 and 2005 c 481 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A person is guilty of animal cruelty in the second degree if, under circumstances not amounting to first degree animal cruelty, the person knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence inflicts unnecessary suffering or pain upon an animal.
     (2) An owner of an animal is guilty of animal cruelty in the second degree if, under circumstances not amounting to first degree animal cruelty, the owner knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence:
     (a) Fails to provide the animal with necessary shelter, rest, sanitation, space, or medical attention and the animal suffers unnecessary or unjustifiable physical pain as a result of the failure; ((or))
     (b) Under circumstances not amounting to animal cruelty in the second degree under (c) of this subsection, abandons the animal; or
     (c) Abandons the animal and (i) as a result of being abandoned, the animal suffers bodily harm; or (ii) abandoning the animal creates an imminent and substantial risk that the animal will suffer substantial bodily harm
.
     (3)(a) Animal cruelty in the second degree under subsection (1), (2)(a), or (2)(b) of this section is a misdemeanor.
     (b) Animal cruelty in the second degree under subsection (2)(c) of this section is a gross misdemeanor.
     (4) In any prosecution of animal cruelty in the second degree under subsection (1) or (2)(a) of this section, it shall be an affirmative defense, if established by the defendant by a preponderance of the evidence, that the defendant's failure was due to economic distress beyond the defendant's control.

Sec. 2   RCW 16.52.011 and 1994 c 261 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Principles of liability as defined in chapter 9A.08 RCW apply to this chapter.
     (2) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
     (a) "Abandons" means the knowing or reckless desertion of an animal by its owner or the causing of the animal to be deserted by its owner, in any place, without making provisions for the animal's adequate care.
     (b)
"Animal" means any nonhuman mammal, bird, reptile, or amphibian.
     (((b))) (c) "Animal care and control agency" means any city or county animal control agency or authority authorized to enforce city or county municipal ordinances regulating the care, control, licensing, or treatment of animals within the city or county, and any corporation organized under RCW 16.52.020 that contracts with a city or county to enforce the city or county ordinances governing animal care and control.
     (((c))) (d) "Animal control officer" means any individual employed, contracted, or appointed pursuant to RCW 16.52.025 by an animal care and control agency or humane society to aid in the enforcement of ordinances or laws regulating the care and control of animals. For purposes of this chapter, the term "animal control officer" shall be interpreted to include "humane officer" as defined in (((e))) (f) of this subsection and RCW 16.52.025.
     (((d))) (e) "Euthanasia" means the humane destruction of an animal accomplished by a method that involves instantaneous unconsciousness and immediate death, or by a method that causes painless loss of consciousness, and death during the loss of consciousness.
     (((e))) (f) "Humane officer" means any individual employed, contracted, or appointed by an animal care and control agency or humane society as authorized under RCW 16.52.025.
     (((f))) (g) "Law enforcement agency" means a general authority Washington law enforcement agency as defined in RCW 10.93.020.
     (((g))) (h) "Necessary food" means the provision at suitable intervals of wholesome foodstuff suitable for the animal's age and species and sufficient to provide a reasonable level of nutrition for the animal.
     (((h))) (i) "Owner" means a person who has a right, claim, title, legal share, or right of possession to an animal or a person having lawful control, custody, or possession of an animal.
     (((i))) (j) "Person" means individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations, or other legal entities, and agents of those entities.
     (((j))) (k) "Substantial bodily harm" means substantial bodily harm as defined in RCW 9A.04.110.


         Passed by the Senate April 17, 2007.
         Passed by the House April 9, 2007.
         Approved by the Governor May 8, 2007.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State May 10, 2007.