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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the guidelines for animal shelters. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 823.001(4), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(4) "Department" means the [Texas] Department of State |
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Health Services. |
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SECTION 2. The heading to Section 823.003, Health and |
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Safety Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 823.003. STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS FOR ANIMAL |
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SHELTERS; CRIMINAL PENALTY. |
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SECTION 3. Section 823.003, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (e) to |
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read as follows: |
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(e) Each person operating an animal shelter shall set as a |
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goal for the shelter to release all healthy animals in its custody. |
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The department [board] may require each person operating an animal |
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shelter to keep records of the date and disposition of animals in |
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its custody, to maintain the records on the business premises of the |
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animal shelter, and to make the records available for inspection at |
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reasonable times. |
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SECTION 4. Chapter 823, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 823.004 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 823.004. LIVE RELEASE DATABASE. Each animal shelter |
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operated in this state shall consider establishing and maintaining |
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a live release database to track the number of animals in the |
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shelter and the number of live releases from that shelter using the |
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statistics table and live release rate formulas developed by the |
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Asilomar Accords and in effect on January 1, 2013, or a successor |
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table or formula. |
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SECTION 5. Section 823.005(b), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The advisory committee must be composed of at least one |
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licensed veterinarian, one county or municipal official, one person |
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whose duties include the daily operation of an animal shelter, one |
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representative from a rescue organization or a local private animal |
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shelter, and one representative from an animal welfare |
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organization. |
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SECTION 6. Chapter 823, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 823.006 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 823.006. FOSTER PROGRAMS. (a) Each animal shelter |
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operated in this state shall consider establishing and operating a |
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foster program that is approved by an advisory committee described |
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by Section 823.005. |
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(b) The foster program may include: |
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(1) a recruitment plan for attracting volunteers and |
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participants of the foster program; |
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(2) adoption events in the county or municipality in |
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which the shelter is located; and |
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(3) a partnership with local private animal shelters |
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to further the purposes of the program and for the transfer of |
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healthy animals to relieve excess population of the shelter. |
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(c) The animal shelter shall consider ensuring that each |
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animal in the foster program that weighs more than five pounds is |
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vaccinated and spayed or neutered, as applicable. |
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SECTION 7. Section 823.001(2), Health and Safety Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 8. The Department of State Health Services shall |
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implement Section 823.004, Health and Safety Code, as added by this |
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Act, not later than January 1, 2014. |
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SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |