Senate Bill No. 150–Committee on Government Affairs

 

CHAPTER..........

 

AN ACT relating to county government; authorizing a board of county commissioners to designate an animal as inherently dangerous and to provide by ordinance for civil liability for a person who violates certain ordinances relating to the control of animals; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

   Section 1. NRS 244.359 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   244.359  1.  Each board of county commissioners may enact and

 enforce an ordinance or ordinances:

   (a) Fixing, imposing and collecting an annual license fee on dogs and

 providing for the capture and disposal of all dogs on which the license fee

 is not paid.

   (b) Regulating or prohibiting the running at large and disposal of all

 kinds of animals.

   (c) Establishing a pound, appointing a poundkeeper and prescribing his

 duties.

   (d) Prohibiting cruelty to animals.

   (e) Designating an animal as inherently dangerous and requiring the

 owner of such an animal to obtain a policy of liability insurance for the

 animal in an amount determined by the board of county commissioners.

   2.  Any ordinance or ordinances enacted pursuant to the provisions of

 paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection 1 may apply throughout an entire

 county or govern only a limited area within the county which shall be

 specified in the ordinance or ordinances.

   3.  Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a board of county

 commissioners may by ordinance provide that the violation of a

 particular ordinance enacted pursuant to this section imposes a civil

 liability to the county in an amount not to exceed $500, instead of a

 criminal penalty. An ordinance enacted pursuant to this section that

 creates an offense relating to bites of animals, vicious or dangerous

 animals, horse tripping or cruelty to animals must impose a criminal

 penalty for the offense. As used in this subsection, “horse tripping” does

 not include tripping a horse to provide medical or other health care for

 the horse.

   Sec. 2. This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.

 

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