PA 12-20—HB 5123

Environment Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE PLACEMENT OF ANIMALS SEIZED IN ANIMAL CRUELTY CASES

SUMMARY: By law, a court may vest ownership of a neglected or cruelly treated animal in the agriculture commissioner, a municipality, or other specified entities or people. The commissioner or municipality may auction the animal, sell it through an open bidding process, or give it to certain people or rescue or adoption organizations.

This act expands the circumstances under which the commissioner or municipality may vest ownership of the animal in a person or organization and broadens the pool of possible recipients. It allows the commissioner or municipality to vest ownership of any seized animal in any person or nonprofit rescue or adoption organization. Under prior law, the commissioner or municipality could vest ownership of only seized animals that needed rehabilitative or special care in a person or a nonprofit animal rescue or adoption organization that annually placed at least 10 animals as pets in private homes.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2012

OLR Tracking: JLK: MJ: PF: ts