2014 Rhode Island General Laws
Title 4 - Animals and Animal Husbandry
Chapter 4-1 - Cruelty to Animals
Section 4-1-3 - Unnecessary cruelty.

§ 4-1-3 Unnecessary cruelty. – (a) Every owner, possessor, or person having the charge or custody of any animal, who cruelly drives or works that animal when unfit for labor, or cruelly abandons that animal, or who carries that animal or who fails to provide that animal with adequate living conditions as defined in § 4-1-1, or causes that animal to be carried, in or upon any vehicle or otherwise in a cruel or inhuman manner, or willfully, intentionally, maliciously, recklessly, and/or knowingly authorizes or permits that animal to be subjected to unnecessary torture, suffering or cruelty of any kind, or who places or causes to have placed on any animal any substance that may produce irritation or pain, or that is declared a hazardous substance by the U.S. food and drug administration or by the state department of health, shall be punished for each offense in the manner provided in § 4-1-2.

(b) The substances proscribed by subsection (a) do not include any drug having curative and therapeutic effect for disease in animals and which is prepared and intended for veterinary use.

(c) University, college or hospital research facilities licensed and/or inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Public Health Service of the department of health and human services shall be exempt from the provisions of subsection (a) provided that they are in good standing with the federal agency responsible for licensing or assurance of the facility.

History of Section.
(G.L. 1896, ch. 114, § 2; G.L. 1909, ch. 138, § 2; G.L. 1923, ch. 141, § 2; G.L. 1938, ch. 640, § 2; G.L. 1956, § 4-1-3; P.L. 1973, ch. 114, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 180, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 232, § 1.)