Pet Protections: Two Measures To Come Before Smith Hill Soon

BRISTOL, RI — Daisy and Ollie's law to regulate groomers might be on the books soon in Rhode Island after all. Also, a loophole might be closed to protect hunting dogs from being left outside in cold weather. The two animal protection proposals are expected to be considered sometime soon after the House and the Senate go back to work on Smith Hill at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

House Majority Leader Joseph Shekarchi, D-Warwick, said Tuesday he expects sometime in the next month to reintroduce his bill regulating dog groomers. Rhode Island doesn't have any regulations now; and when Ollie, the pug, died at the Middletown Petco last March, and then Daisy, the Maltese mix, was killed at a Warren groomer last May, Shekarchi said it was time to do something to protect the pets. Although the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found Daisy's groomer, David Russell of Warren, grossly negligent, it said it could do little except investigate, due to the current laws.

Specifically, the existing law only provides a way to prosecute groomers who demonstrate recklessness or deliberate cruelty. The standard of proof for recklessness is very high, said Joseph Warzycha, the RI SPCA's investigator.

Although Petco released a statement declaring its groomers had been blameless in Ollie's death, the company employees gave testimony that contradicted the medical evidence, the RI SPCA said. The investigation into Ollie's death left questions unanswered about the cause of death. Ollie died while his nails were being trimmed. The groomers claimed they saw no signs of distress.

Shekarchi did not give details about his bill but made this statement.

“Rhode Islanders expect that their pets will be safe when they are left with a groomer. As a result of legislation that I introduced in the last legislative session, a coalition of organizations have been meeting to re-craft the legislation for the care, safety and sanitation of pets while at a groomers. These stakeholders include the RI Professional Pet Groomers Association, the Pet Industry Advisory Council, the RIDEM, and the RI SPCA. I anticipate that I will be introducing this revised legislation in the next month so that our pets will be safer in this new year.”

Meanwhile, readers let Patch know last month about a potential cruelty case in Warwick near the Kent County Hospital. Dogs were outside in extreme cold on a Tollgate Road property. The RI SPCA said it was aware of the complaints, had visited the property, taken photos of the dogs, and talked with the owner. Although the temperatures were too cold to leave pets outside, the RI SPCA said its hands were tied because the owner was raising the dogs for hunting. A loophole in the state law exempts hunting dogs from the protection other pets are afforded.

However, people continued to complain. RI SPCA returned to the property. The owner agreed to bring the dogs inside, and the SPCA again urged people to work to change the state law and close that loophole. Now, according to WPRI-TV's report, state Rep. Patricia Serpa, D-Coventry, Warwick and West Warwick, has said she will introduce legislation to change the law and protect all dogs. For the latest update from the RI SPCA, click here.

Related Story: Another Dog Grooming Death In RI: This Time Daisy, A Maltese Mix

Related Story: After Ollie the Pug's Death, House Majority Leader May Re-Introduce Bill to License Dog Groomers

Courtesy Photo of Daisy: Beth Iiams