Committee favors bill to give parishes a permissive framework for animal shelters

Representative McMahon told the committee House Bill 834 establishes a clear, permissive framework for how political subdivisions may authorize public or private shelters to handle stray, lost and at-large animals, create a path to ownership after a required hold period, and provide liability protections for good-faith actions.

"This bill has 3 simple important things that it requires," he said, summarizing the authorization to designate shelters, a process for property transfer after hold periods and liability protections for local governments and shelters acting in good faith.

Michelle Hall, who identified herself as teaching animal law at LSU and Tulane, said a component of the bill fixes a problem caused by a lawsuit and clarifies the path to ownership that many believed already existed. "The lawsuit did find otherwise," she said, arguing the bill provides needed clarity.

Support cards were filed by the Humane Society and the Police Jury Association; Senator Wheat moved to report HB 834 favorably and the committee recorded no opposition on the motion.