An act relating to animals, the official text

1                   STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2   2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)

3 HOUSE BILL 3902               By: Hefner and Kelley

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6                               AS INTRODUCED

7   An Act relating to animals; amending 4 O.S. 2021,

    Section 43, which relates to animal overpopulation;

8   removing county population requirement for regulating

    or prohibiting the overpopulation of certain animals;

9   and providing an effective date.

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12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

13  SECTION 1.      AMENDATORY  4 O.S. 2021, Section 43, is

14 amended to read as follows:

15  The board of county commissioners of any county with a

16 population of two hundred thousand (200,000) or more according to

17 the last Federal Decennial Census may regulate or prohibit the

18 running at large of dogs within said county, and cause such dogs as

19 may be running at large to be impounded and disposed of as otherwise

20 provided for by law or sold to discharge the costs and penalties

21 provided for the violation of such prohibition and the expense of

22 impounding and keeping the same for such sale; and may also provide

23 for the erection of all needful pens, pounds and buildings for the

24 use of said county at any place within said county. It shall be the

    Req. No. 13981                                                 Page 1
1 duty of the board of county commissioners of any county undertaking

2 the regulation and taxation of dogs in said county under this act to

3 establish and enforce rules governing the same, and they shall enter

4 into a definite cooperative agreement with the sheriff of said

5 county prescribing said rules and regulations and the manner and

6 terms of enforcement thereof, and for the financing and compensation

7 therefor. The board of county commissioners may also regulate and

8 provide for taxing the owners and harborers of dogs, and authorize

9 the humane killing or disposal of dogs, found at large, contrary to

10 any ordinance regulating the same. Any person, firm or corporation

11 who violates any rule or regulation made by such board of county

12 commissioners under the authority of this act shall be guilty of a

13 misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided by the laws of this

14 state in any court of competent jurisdiction, provided that in the

15 case of continuing offenses, each day on which the offense occurs

16 shall constitute a separate offense.

17  SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.

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19  60-2-13981      JL  12/04/25

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    Req. No. 13981                                                Page 2