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Arkansas General Assembly· SB 342Notification that SB342 is now Act 749

An act TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ANIMALS, the official text

Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.

1 State of Arkansas            As Engrossed: S3/13/25
2 95th General Assembly
                                     A Bill

3 Regular Session, 2025                                           SENATE BILL 342

4

5 By: Senator A. Clark

6 By: Representative Gonzales

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8                              For An Act To Be Entitled

9   AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ANIMALS; TO AMEND

10  THE LAW CONCERNING INJURIES TO CERTAIN ANIMALS BY

11  DOGS TO AUTHORIZE TREBLE DAMAGES; AND FOR OTHER

12  PURPOSES.

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14

15                                        Subtitle

16                       TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING INJURIES TO

17                       CERTAIN ANIMALS BY DOGS TO AUTHORIZE

18                       TREBLE DAMAGES.

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20 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

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22  SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 20-19-102 is amended to read as follows:

23  20-19-102. Injuries to domesticated animals by dogs -- Definition.

24  (a)(1) As used in this section, "domesticated animals" includes, but

25 is not limited to, without limitation sheep, goats, cattle, swine, and

26 poultry, and other livestock.

27  (2) A person owning or having in possession or under control a

28 dog is liable for damages to the owner or owners of a domesticated animal

29 killed or injured by the dog for the full value of the domesticated animal

30 killed or injured.

31  (b)(1) A person engaged in raising domesticated animals or owning

32 domesticated animals who sustains a loss or damage to any of his or her

33 domesticated animals by a dog has a right of action against the owner,

34 possessor, or controller of the dog.

35  (2) A person knowing that a dog has killed or is about to catch,

36 injure, or kill a domesticated animal has the right to kill the dog, without

    *CRH138*                                                      03-13-2025 14:01:13 CRH138
    As Engrossed: S3/13/25                                                   SB342

1 liability to the owner of the dog.

2      (c)(1) The person sustaining loss or damage under subsection (b) of

3 this section and desiring remuneration may go before file a complaint with

4 the circuit court or district court having jurisdiction where the loss or

5 damage occurred as permitted by the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure and

6 allege the:

7                     (A) loss Loss or damage sustained, the;

8                     (B) value Value of the loss or damage, and the identity;

9 and

10                    (C) Identity of the dog and the dog's owner, possessor, or

11 controller by filing a complaint with the circuit court or district court

12 having jurisdiction as permitted by the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure,.

13             (2) The circuit court or district court having jurisdiction

14 under subdivision (c)(1) of this section which under the rules may issue:

15                    (A) Issue a summons to the defendant to appear in the

16 circuit court or district court having jurisdiction and answer the

17 allegations.; and

18                    (B) Award the plaintiff treble the damages or loss in

19 subdivision (c)(1)(B) of this section.

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21                          /s/A. Clark

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