§ 4-24-4. Breeding permits. (a) No person shall cause or allow any cat owned or harbored in the city or town in which they live to breed without first obtaining a breeding permit under this section.

(b) Each city or town animal control officer shall administer a permit program to allow the breeding of cats consistent with criteria and according to procedures contained in the city or town ordinances; provided, however, that where city's or town's have ordinances, specifically prohibiting the breeding of cats it shall be the city's or town's ordinances that shall govern with respect to that subsection or provision only.

(c) Each applicant who is issued a permit to breed cats under this section shall pay an annual breeding permit fee of one hundred dollars ($100) per cat.

(d) No person shall cause or allow the breeding of a male or female cat without first obtaining a breeding permit issued by the animal control officer. Breeding permits shall be valid for twelve (12) months, renewable on an annual basis for a fee of one hundred dollars ($100) per cat. Herein, all breeding permits shall contain the following terms and conditions and be subject to all of the following requirements:

(1) No offspring may be sold or adopted and permanently placed until reaching an age of at least eight (8) weeks;

(2) No offspring may be sold or adopted until immunized against common diseases as determined by the director of environmental management in accordance with chapter 4 of this title to be contagious or injurious to public health or to the health of other animals;

(3) Any permit holder advertising to the public the availability of any animal for adoption or sale must prominently display the permit number in any publications in which they advertise. The permit number must be provided to any person adopting or purchasing any animal bred by the permit holder; and

(4) The breeding permit holder shall adhere to minimum standards regarding the care and keeping of animals pursuant to chapter 19 of this title.

History of Section. (P.L. 2006, ch. 59, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 63, § 1.)