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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the appeal process in cases of cruelly treated animals. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 821.025(a), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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"(a) An owner of an animal ordered sold at public auction as |
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provided in this subchapter may appeal the order to a county court |
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or county court at Law in the county in which the justice or |
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municipal court is located. As a condition of perfecting an appeal, |
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the owner must file an appeal bond in an amount determined by the |
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justice or municipal court to be adequate to cover the estimated |
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expenses incurred in housing and caring for the impounded animal |
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during the appeal process. The decision of the county court or
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county court at law may not be further appealed. An owner may not
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appeal an order: |
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(1) to give the animal to a nonprofit animal shelter,
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pound, or society for the protection of animals; or
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(2)to humanely destroy the animal.
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(b) While an appeal under this section is pending, the |
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animal may not be: |
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(1) sold or given away as provided by Sections 821.023 |
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and 821.024; or |
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(2) destroyed, except under circumstances which would |
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require the humane destruction of the animal to prevent undue pain |
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to or suffering of the animal." |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |