HB 702 - Hope's Law Summary

• Requires dog license holders to notify the county director of finance within 14 days of transferring ownership of a dog and provide the transferee's name and address.

• Requires dog license holders to provide microchip identification numbers to the director of finance at the time of license application or within 14 days of microchip implantation.

• Extends criminal liability for animal cruelty to persons who abandon a dog resulting in deprivation of sustenance and to dog owners whose actions led to or indirectly caused deprivation of necessary sustenance.

• Defines "owner" for purposes of animal cruelty liability to include the person who most recently held the dog license.

• Establishes that persons who fail to notify officials of dog ownership transfer retain all liability for subsequent acts of animal cruelty involving that dog.