ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

Second Regular Session

House: GE DP 13-0-0-0 | 3rd Read 46-12-2-0
Senate: GOV DPA 7-0-0-0 | 3rd Read 26-1-3-0

HB 2626: animal handling; microchip scan

Sponsor: Representative Kavanagh, LD 23

Senate Engrossed

Overview

Requires the scanning of a dog or cat, in specified situations, for the presence of a microchip and a reasonable effort to be made to contact the owner.

History

The county board of supervisors in each county may provide or authorize a county pound to enter into a cooperative agreement with a city, a veterinarian or an Arizona incorporated humane society in order to establish and operate a county pound.  Any stray dog must be impounded and all dogs and cats that are impounded must be given proper care and maintenance (A.R.S. § 11-1013).

Provisions

1.   ☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal NoteStipulates that a city or town must require an employee, contractor or subcontractor that has contracted with the city or town to remove deceased cats and dogs from a public place to thoroughly scan for the presence of a microchip and make a reasonable effort to contact the owner before disposing of the cat or dog if the disposal will be at a landfill. (Sec. 1)

2.   Requires all dogs and cats to be thoroughly scanned for the presence of a microchip and reasonable effort made to contact the owner upon being impounded at a county pound, city or town facility, a veterinarian or an Arizona incorporated humane society. (Sec. 2)

3.   Asserts that all deceased dogs and cats must be thoroughly scanned for the presence of a microchip and reasonable effort made to contact the owner when found in a public place and brought to a county pound, city or town facility, a veterinarian or an Arizona incorporated humane society. (Sec. 2)

4.   Removes references to destroy when related to dogs and cats and replaces the term with euthanize. (Sec. 2-5)

5.   Adds that unprofessional or dishonorable conduct by a veterinarian includes failing to thoroughly scan for the presence of a microchip and making a reasonable effort to contact the owner of all stray dogs and cats brought to a veterinary premises. (Sec. 6)

6.   Includes, in the ability for disciplinary action against an animal crematory, failure to thoroughly scan for the presence of a microchip and make a reasonable effort to contact the owner of stray dogs and cats brought to the animal crematory before cremation. (Sec. 7)

7.   Specifies that an animal shelter must thoroughly scan for the presence of a microchip in the dog or cat and make a reasonable effort to contact the owner when taking possession of a dog or cat and defines animal shelter as in statute. (Sec. 8)

8.   Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 2-7)

Senate Amendments

1.   Removes provisions relating to unprofessional or dishonorable conduct and grounds for disciplinary action for a veterinarian.

2.   Directs a veterinarian to thoroughly scan for the presence of a microchip for all stray dogs and cats brought to a veterinary premises and make reasonable efforts to contact the owner.

3.   Instructs a crematory licensee to do the following for all dogs and cats brought to a crematory by a person other than the owner:

a)   Thoroughly scan the dogs and cats for the presence of a microchip; and

b)   Make a reasonable effort to contact the owner, unless there is written or electronic record indicating that the dog or cat has been thoroughly scanned for the presence of a microchip and reasonable effort made to contact the owner.

c)    

d)    

e)   ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------

f)                         HB 2626

g)   Initials SJ        Page 0 Senate Engrossed

h)    

i)   ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------