Senate Bill 280 Summary

• Establishes comprehensive health and care requirements for animal shelters, including mandatory veterinary protocols, vaccination of dogs and cats within 8 hours of intake, and health examinations by licensed veterinarians within 72 hours.

• Requires animal shelters to extend public hours including evenings and weekends, maintain a minimum 72-hour holding period for stray animals to allow owner reclamation, and establish registries of rescue organizations willing to accept animals.

• Permits euthanasia only after 5 days if no reasonable alternatives exist, including available cage space, foster homes, or willing rescue organizations, and requires certification that all conditions are met by the animal care/control manager.

• Restricts euthanasia methods to those approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines and requires procedures be performed by licensed veterinarians, nationally certified euthanasia technicians, or veterinarian-certified staff.

• Mandates shelters maintain detailed records on intake rates, euthanasia rates by age, adoptions, owner reclamations, transfers, vaccinations, and medical treatment, with quarterly posting of summary data to shelter websites.