AN ACT CONCERNING THE LICENSING OF DOGS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 22-338 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2016):

(a) Each owner or keeper of a dog of the age of six months or older, except dogs kept under a kennel license as provided in section 22-342, shall cause such dog to be licensed in the town clerk's office in the town where such dog is kept, on or before June thirtieth, [annually] and every three years thereafter, or at such time as [such] the dog becomes six months old, and [annually] every three years thereafter, on or before June thirtieth. The owner or keeper shall pay to such town clerk for such license [the sum of seven] a license fee of twenty-one dollars for each neutered male dog or spayed female dog and the sum of [twelve] thirty-six dollars for each unneutered male dog [and each] or unspayed female dog, and [one] three additional [dollar in each case] dollars per dog as the town clerk's fee for issuing a [tag and license as provided in] license and tag pursuant to section 22-340. [Two] Six dollars from each license fee [collected] paid for a neutered or spayed dog shall be deposited into the animal population control account, established under section 22-380g. If an owner or keeper of a dog fails to [procure a license] cause such dog to be licensed as required by this section, such owner or keeper shall pay to the town clerk the appropriate license fee specified in this section, the town clerk's fee and a penalty of one dollar for each month or fraction thereof the dog remains unlicensed.

Sec. 2. Subsection (b) of section 22-339a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2016):

(b) Any person acquiring an unlicensed dog from a dog pound shall be issued a temporary license by the town clerk, or his agent deputized pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, which shall expire thirty days after the issuance thereof. Prior to the expiration of a temporary license, the person holding the temporary license shall [apply for a license for the remainder of the license year, pay the appropriate license fee specified in] cause the dog to be licensed in the manner and pursuant to the terms and conditions provided in section 22-338, as amended by this act. [, and submit a certificate signed by a veterinarian, or a copy thereof, stating (1) that the dog has been vaccinated against rabies, (2) the date of the vaccination and (3) the duration of the immunity provided by the vaccine. No license shall be issued unless the certificate indicates that the immunity provided by the vaccine is effective at the time of licensing.]

Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 22-340 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2016):

(a) Each person complying with the provisions of section 22-338, as amended by this act, 22-339 or 22-342 shall receive from the town clerk a license on a form prescribed by the commissioner, which license shall contain a description of the dog and the number under which such dog is licensed. The town clerk shall issue to such person a tag or plate of material prescribed by the commissioner, upon which shall be distinctly marked the name of the town in which such dog is licensed, the license number and the [year of] license period. No town clerk shall issue such license or tag to any person for any neutered male or spayed female dog not previously licensed as such unless the person causing the dog to be licensed exhibits to the town clerk a certificate from a licensed veterinarian stating that such veterinarian has neutered or spayed the dog or that, after examining the dog, [he] the veterinarian finds that the dog has been neutered or spayed.

Sec. 4. Section 22-349 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2016):

The town clerk of each town shall, annually, on or before July first, provide the municipal animal control officer or regional animal control officer with a copy of each dog license issued by such clerk in the last three years. Such municipal animal control officer or regional animal control officer shall thereupon make diligent search for any unlicensed dog required to be licensed [by] pursuant to section 22-338, as amended by this act. The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, establishing procedures for such search. If the owner of any such unlicensed dog is not known, the municipal animal control officer or regional animal control officer shall impound such dog. The [owning or keeping of an unlicensed or impounded dog and the failure to purchase a license] failure of an owner or keeper of an unlicensed dog to cause such dog to be licensed, or the failure of an owner or keeper of an impounded dog to cause such dog to be licensed and pay the advertising and redemption fee within one hundred [and] twenty hours from the time the dog was impounded, shall be an infraction.

Statement of Purpose:

To provide that dog owners license their dogs every three years instead of annually.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]