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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the appeals process in the disposition of cruelly |
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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 divested of ownership of an animal under |
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Section 821.023 [ordered sold at public auction as provided in this
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subchapter] may appeal the order to a county court or county court |
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at law in the county in which the justice or municipal court is |
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located. As a condition of perfecting an appeal, the owner must |
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file an appeal bond in an amount determined by the [justice or
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municipal] court from which the appeal is taken to be adequate to |
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cover the estimated expenses incurred in housing and caring for the |
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impounded animal during the appeal process. [The decision of the
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county court or county court at law may not be further appealed. An
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owner may not 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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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an appeal of a court order made on or after the effective date of |
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this Act. An appeal of a court order made before the effective date |
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of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the appeal was made, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |