UtahUtah officers may place abused animals with owner permission
Since May 6, 2026, Utah officers may care for animals involved in abuse offenses and, with the owner's permission, place them with new caretakers.
What it does
Officers may care for a cruelly treated animal involved in an animal abuse offense after trying to notify its owner. They may place it with a suitable person or animal care organization only with the owner's permission.
A recipient gets ownership rights and must agree to provide care and keep the former owner from possessing, caring for, or interacting with the animal.
After the owner receives at least five days' notice of a care lien, a court must order the animal sold, destroyed, or transferred to a suitable recipient, unless the owner has given up ownership rights.
Argument forAnimals could get care suited to their age and condition, while any new caretaker must provide food, water, and shelter from extreme weather.
Argument againstAn owner could lose an animal after getting at least five days' notice, because a court must order it sold, destroyed, or transferred if the owner has not given up ownership.
More detail
Officers may take possession of a cruelly treated animal involved in an animal abuse offense and provide shelter and care. The listed offenses include specified animal cruelty and abuse offenses. Officers must make reasonable efforts to notify the owner before providing shelter and care. With the owner's permission, officers may instead destroy the animal or place it with a suitable person or animal care organization. These provisions took effect May 6, 2026.
A person or organization receiving an animal through placement gets ownership rights and must sign an agreement to care for it. This applies to a person, organization, or agency receiving an animal under the placement provision. The recipient must provide food, water, and shelter suited to the animal's species, age, and condition. The agreement must keep the former owner from possessing, caring for, or interacting with the animal. The recipient may later sell or otherwise place the animal in line with accepted humane practices. These provisions took effect May 6, 2026.
A court must order an animal sold, destroyed, or transferred to a suitable recipient after the required lien notice, unless the owner has given up ownership rights. This applies to an animal cared for under this section when the owner has not voluntarily given up ownership rights. An officer or animal control officer has a lien for reasonable care costs and, if applicable, the reasonable cost of destroying the animal. The court must have proof that the owner received notice of the lien and amount due at least five days earlier. If ownership is transferred, the recipient must agree to provide minimum care and keep the former owner from possessing, caring for, or interacting with the animal. The owner must receive notice at least five days before the court orders a sale, destruction, or transfer.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 25Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 11House/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 11House/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 3House/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 3Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 3Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 3Bill Received from House for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 2House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Mar 2House/ received from SenateMinor
- Feb 27Senate/ to House
- Vote recorded House/ concurs with Senate amendment. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 27Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Feb 27Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Feb 27House/ to Senate
- Feb 27House/ concurs with Senate amendmentMajor
- Feb 26House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 26House/ received from SenateMinor
- Feb 26Senate/ to House with amendments
- Feb 26Senate/ passed 3rd readingPassed Senate
- Feb 26Senate/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 25Senate/ passed 2nd readingMinor
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 25Senate/ substituted
- Feb 25Senate/ uncircled
- Feb 24LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0087S02
- Feb 24LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0087S02
- Feb 23Senate/ circled
- Feb 20Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 20Senate/ motion to reconsider
- Feb 20LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0087S02
- Feb 20LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0087S02
- Feb 19Senate/ to House
- Vote recorded Senate/ failed. Result: fail.Upper
- Feb 19Senate/ failedMajor
- Feb 19Senate/ floor amendment
- Feb 19Senate/ uncircled
- Feb 19Senate/ circled
- Feb 19Senate/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 17Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 17Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 17Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 13Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 12Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Feb 11Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Feb 10House/ to Senate
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 10House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Feb 10House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 3House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 3House/ committee report favorable [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 2House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Jan 27LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0087S01
- Jan 27LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0087S01
- Jan 27House/ to standing committee [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Jan 27Bill Substituted by Sponsor in House Rules Comm [House Rules Committee]Major
- Jan 26LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0087S01
- Jan 26LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0087S01
- Jan 20House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 20House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystMinor
- Jan 15LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0087
- Jan 15LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0087
- Jan 14House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- 2025
- Dec 23Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Dec 23Bill Numbered but not Distributed
- Oct 3LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0087
- Sep 2LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0087
- Sep 2LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0087Introduced
Public Safety