Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22-358

Current with legislation from the 2023 Regular and Special Sessions.

Section 22-358 - Killing of dogs doing damage. Restraint or disposal orders. Notice. Seizure. Euthanasia and examination of potentially rabid animals. Complaints by persons sustaining damage by dog to poultry, ratite, domestic rabbit, companion animal or livestock. Orders. Appeals

(a) Any owner or the agent of any owner of any domestic animal or poultry, or the Chief Animal Control Officer, any animal control officer, any municipal animal control officer, any regional animal control officer or any police officer or state policeman, may kill any dog which he observes pursuing or worrying any such domestic animal or poultry.

(b) Any person who is bitten, or who shows visible evidence of attack by a dog, cat or other animal when such person is not upon the premises of the owner or keeper of such dog, cat or other animal may kill such dog, cat or other animal during such attack. Such person shall make complaint concerning the circumstances of the attack to the Chief Animal Control Officer, any animal control officer or the municipal animal control officer or regional animal control officer of the town wherein such dog, cat or other animal is owned or kept. Any such officer to whom such complaint is made shall immediately make an investigation of such complaint.

(c) The commissioner, the Chief Animal Control Officer, any animal control officer, any municipal animal control officer or any regional animal control officer may make any order concerning the restraint or disposal of any biting dog, cat or other animal as the commissioner or such officer deems necessary. Notice of any such order shall be given to the person bitten by such dog, cat or other animal within twenty-four hours. The owner of such animal shall pay all fees as set forth in section 22-333. Any owner or keeper of such dog, cat or other animal who fails to comply with such order shall be guilty of a class D misdemeanor. If an owner or keeper fails to comply with a restraining order made pursuant to this subsection, the Chief Animal Control Officer, any animal control officer, any municipal animal control officer or any regional animal control officer may seize the dog, cat or other animal to ensure such compliance and the owner or keeper shall be responsible for any expenses resulting from such seizure. Any person aggrieved by an order of any municipal animal control officer, the Chief Animal Control Officer, any animal control officer or any regional animal control officer may request a hearing before the commissioner within fourteen days of the issuance of such order. Any order issued pursuant to this section that requires the restraint of an animal shall be effective upon its issuance and shall remain in effect during any appeal of such order to the commissioner. After such hearing, the commissioner may affirm, modify or revoke such order as the commissioner deems proper. Any dog owned by a police agency of the state or any of its political subdivisions is exempt from the provisions of this subsection when such dog is under the direct supervision, care and control of an assigned police officer, is currently vaccinated and is subject to routine veterinary care. Any guide dog owned or in the custody and control of a blind person or a person with a mobility impairment is exempt from the provisions of this subsection when such guide dog is under the direct supervision, care and control of such person, is currently vaccinated and is subject to routine veterinary care.

(d) Any dog, while actually worrying or pursuing deer, may be killed by the Chief Animal Control Officer or an animal control officer or by a conservation officer or special conservation officer appointed by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or by any police officer or state policeman. The owner or keeper of any dog found worrying or pursuing a deer shall be guilty of a class D misdemeanor.

(e) Any person who kills any dog, cat or other animal in accordance with the provisions of this section shall not be held criminally or civilly liable therefor.

(f) Repealed by P.A. 19-197, S. 1.

(g) Repealed by P.A. 05-175, S. 24.

(h) A person who sustains damage by a dog to such person's poultry, ratite, domestic rabbit, companion animal or livestock as defined in section 22-278 shall make complaint concerning circumstances of the attack by such dog on any such animal or livestock to the Chief Animal Control Officer, any animal control officer or the municipal animal control officer or regional animal control officer of the town in which such dog is owned or kept. An officer to whom such complaint is made shall immediately investigate such complaint. If such officer finds that the complainant's animal has been bitten or attacked by a dog when the attacked animal was not on the premises of the owner or keeper of the attacking dog and provided the complainant's animal was under the control of the complainant or on the complainant's property, such officer, the commissioner, the Chief Animal Control Officer or any animal control officer may make any order concerning the restraint or disposal of such attacking dog as the commissioner or such officer deems necessary. An owner or keeper of such dog who fails to comply with such order shall be guilty of a class D misdemeanor. If the owner or keeper of such dog fails to comply with an order made pursuant to this subsection, the Chief Animal Control Officer or any animal control officer, municipal animal control officer or regional animal control officer may seize the dog to ensure such compliance, and the owner or keeper of such dog shall be responsible for any expenses resulting from such seizure. A person aggrieved by an order of the Chief Animal Control Officer or any animal control officer, municipal animal control officer or regional animal control officer made pursuant to this subsection may request a hearing before the commissioner not later than fourteen days after the issuance of such order. After such hearing, the commissioner may affirm, modify or revoke such order as the commissioner deems proper. A dog owned by a police agency of the state or any of its political subdivisions is exempt from the provisions of this section when such dog is under the direct supervision, care and control of an assigned police officer, has been vaccinated annually and is subject to routine veterinary care.

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22-358

(1949 Rev., S. 3405; 1953, S. 1843d; 1963, P.A. 613, S. 28; February, 1965, P.A. 23, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 35; 81, S. 4; 1971, P.A. 725; P.A. 73-28; P.A. 79-290, S. 4; P.A. 83-71, S. 1; P.A. 84-546, S. 67, 173; P.A. 85-57, S. 1, 2; P.A. 89-161, S. 6, 7; P.A. 91-46, S. 6, 12; 91-59, S. 16; 91-215, S. 2; P.A. 92-77, S. 1, 5; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 98-12, S. 15, 22; P.A. 00-88, S. 1; P.A. 02-14, S. 2; P.A. 04-145, S. 3; P.A. 05-175, S. 24; P.A. 07-59, S. 1; P.A. 08-124, S. 8; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; 11-182, S. 1; P.A. 12-21, S. 1; 12-80, S. 130.)

Amended by P.A. 19-0197,S. 1 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2019 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2019.

Amended by P.A. 12-0080, S. 130 of the the 2012 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2012.

Amended by P.A. 12-0021, S. 1 of the the 2012 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2012.

Amended by P.A. 11-0182, S. 1 of the the 2011 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2011.

Previous statutes discussed. 74 C. 8. Whether dog is worrying sheep is a question of fact. 84 Conn. 640. Killing held unjustified. 139 Conn. 622. When a dog released by a municipality before the end of a 14-day quarantine period bites another person, the municipality may be sued for liability in nuisance. 167 C. 464. Cited. 17 CA 326. Animal control officer's acts or omissions in issuing and enforcing a restraint order under facts of case were discretionary and not ministerial. 150 Conn.App. 769. Dog must be pursuing or worrying fowl at the time he is killed; it is not enough that he has done so in the past. 18 Conn.Supp. 53. The fact that defendant, a dog warden, was prosecuted for cruelly beating or unjustifiably injuring dog, not for killing it, does not preclude him from claiming the benefit of section. 3 Conn. Cir. Ct. 62.