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17 RS BR 1169

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION establishing the Shelter Oversight and Pet
Overpopulation Task Force.

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WHEREAS, Kentucky has 90 counties with animal shelters, and each of Kentucky's

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120 counties are required by statute to have an animal control officer in accordance with

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KRS 258.119; and

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WHEREAS, since 2004, Kentucky has required each county to have a shelter or a

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contract with an organization to provide a shelter, but there are only minimum statutory

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standards for county animal shelters; and

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WHEREAS, a recent study conducted by the University of Kentucky Diagnostic

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Laboratory of all county animal shelters found approximately 49 percent of those shelters

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to be out of compliance with state law; and

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WHEREAS, a lack of access to and the high cost of spay and neuter surgery are

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major impediments to pet population control, and state and local governments are unable

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to provide the necessary funds to finance an effective spay and neuter program; and

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WHEREAS, companion animal overpopulation contributes to large numbers of

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stray and abandoned animals for which counties must use taxpayer funds for their care

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and disposal; and

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WHEREAS, currently state law does not authorize any government agency to

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oversee and correct the failure of certain county shelters to meet the statutory minimum

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standards; and

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WHEREAS, state law does not require animal control officers to train for their
positions, and the lack of training contributes to poor quality of animal care; and

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WHEREAS, the Kentucky shelter standards described in KRS 258.119 require

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review and possible amendment to adequately inform local officials of their sheltering

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responsibilities; and

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WHEREAS, a government entity should be authorized to inspect Kentucky's county
animal shelters and enforce the statutory shelter standards; and
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17 RS BR 1169

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WHEREAS, the General Assembly finds that convening a task force of various

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stakeholder groups and representatives of state and local government is necessary and

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appropriate to produce consensus legislative recommendations for addressing the proper

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oversight and regulation of county shelters, the training of animal control officers, the

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spaying and neutering of companion animals before release from possession of the

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county's animal shelter or upon request of pet owners, and the funding to expand access

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for sterilization and sheltering services in the Commonwealth;

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NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the
Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Senate concurring therein:

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Section 1. The Shelter Oversight and Pet Overpopulation Task Force is hereby

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created to study and develop consensus legislative recommendations to address the

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current state of county shelters in the Commonwealth, to formulate standards and

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processes for better regulation of county shelters, and to advocate and find methods to

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fund spay and neuter options for pets across the state.

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Section 2.

The Shelter Oversight and Pet Overpopulation Task Force shall be

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composed of the following members with final membership of the task force being

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subject to the consideration and approval of the Legislative Research Commission:

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(1)

The chair of the House Standing Committee on Health and Family Services,

who shall serve as co-chair;
(2)

The chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Health and Welfare, who shall

serve as co-chair;

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(3)

One representative of the Kentucky Animal Care and Control Association;

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(4)

The commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Public Health;

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(5)

The Kentucky State Veterinarian;

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(6)

The president of the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association;

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(7)

One representative of the Kentucky League of Cities;
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(8)

17 RS BR 1169

One representative of the Kentucky Association of Counties or the Kentucky

County Judge/Executive Association selected upon agreement of the co-chairs;

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(9)

One representative from the University of Kentucky Diagnostic Laboratory;

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(10) The president of the Bluegrass Animal Welfare Advocacy Group, Inc; and

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(11) One representative of a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) animal rescue

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organization incorporated in Kentucky or a private, nonprofit 502(c)(3) organization that

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contracts with at least one Kentucky county to provide sheltering services to be selected

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upon agreement of the co-chairs.

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Section 3. The task force shall meet monthly during the 2017 Interim and shall

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submit a report to the appropriate legislative committee or committees by December 1,

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2017. The report shall, at a minimum, include:

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(1)

A detailed analysis of Kentucky animal shelter standards and pet

overpopulation and access to, cost of, and funding for spay and neuter services;
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Recommendations for the periodic inspection of Kentucky county shelters and

enforcement of Kentucky animal shelter standards; and
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Identification of potential funding sources for Kentucky county animal

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shelters for spay and neuter programs, shelter services appropriate for animal welfare, and

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ways to reduce shelter intake and pet overpopulation.

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Section 4.

Provisions of this Concurrent Resolution notwithstanding, the

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Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to alternatively assign the

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issues identified herein to an interim joint committee or subcommittee thereof and to

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designate a study completion date.

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