Utah

Summary: This Utah statute provides that every person owning or keeping a dog shall be liable in damages for injury committed by such dog, and it shall not be necessary in any action brought therefor to allege or prove that such dog was of a vicious or mischievous disposition or that the owner or keeper thereof knew that it was vicious or mischievous.  This does not apply to dogs used by law enforcement officials. In 2014, a provision for the use of arbitration in personal injury from dog bite cases was added.

Summary: A shelter may release a cat prior to the 5-day holding period to a sponsor operating a community cat program. Such a cat is exempt from licensing requirements and feeding bans.  Community cat sponsors or caretakers do not have custody of any cat, and sterilization and vaccination records must be kept for three years.

Summary: Under this Utah act, a shelter may not transfer an unsterilized animal for adoption unless the shelter has a written agreement in which the recipient agrees to have the animal sterilized and gives the shelter a sterilization deposit. If a recipient fails to comply with the agreement, the animal may be seized and impounded, and the recipient forfeits the deposit. A first violation may result in a civil penalty of $250.

Summary: Under this act, animal control officers must hold stray animals in safe and humane custody for a minimum of 5 business days prior to making any final disposition of the animal. A stray animal may be euthanized prior to the completion of the 5-day period to prevent unnecessary suffering due to serious injury or disease.

Summary: This Utah statute, under the chapter relating the general powers of all cities, provides that cities may license, tax, regulate or prohibit the keeping of dogs, and authorize the destruction, sale or other disposal of the same when at large contrary to ordinance.

Summary: These Utah statutes comprise the state's dog laws.  Among the provisions include municipal pound pet sterilization provisions, rabies control laws, hunting laws that impact dogs, and laws concerning injuries caused by dogs.

Summary: The following statutes comprise the state's relevant assistance animal and guide dog laws.

Summary: This Utah statute provides that a trust for the care of a designated domestic or pet animal is valid. The trust terminates when no living animal is covered by the trust. Trusts under this section shall be liberally construed to presume against the merely precatory or honorary nature of the disposition, and to carry out the general intent of the transferor.

Summary: This unique provision allows Native American inmates in Utah access to eagle parts and other traditional ceremonial objects for use in worship.  The inmate has the burden of establishing his or her Native American ancestry.

Summary: This Utah statute criminalizes the intentional or reckless abandonment of a carcass or killing of wildlife for pecuniary gain.  The statute lists the restitution value of species protected under the code (bald eagles $1,000 and golden eagles $500).  Further, the statute proscribes mandatory incarceration for felony convictions (aggregate value of species taken over $500)  where the motive of the individual was pecuniary gain.